Ghostly Eyes
by Sgamer82
Summary: Naruto has just been recruited to join in a rescue mission. The rescuee? None other than a girl named Hyuga Hinata. But her captors have plans for the white eyed child. Plans that might well make Hinata more foe than friend.
1. Kashghyu N'Ga

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

A girl was laid flat on the wooden floor of a hut. Her body stripped to all but the most basic of coverings. Odd symbols painted on nearly every inch of her exposed skin. Her neck, wrists, and legs were tied down so she could not move. She could only stare upward at the old man who circled around her. Pacing with ritual exactness a circle painted of the floor. A circle the girl was in the center of. He was chanting, scattering strange, glittering dust over the girl as he walked around her.   
  
The girl was scared. She didn't remember how she'd wound up here. She had been in a forest with friends, things went black, and she had woken up here. The only thing she knew was something was in her head. A voice, a voice that sounded like an old man. _The_ old man. _  
  
Don't resist. It'll be much easier for you.   
  
I must! I can't let you do what you're trying to do.   
  
Do you even know what I'm trying to do?   
  
Something to my mind… Something to change me.   
  
Heh heh heh. Good. You're sharp. I knew I'd made a good choice. She will be most pleased with you.   
  
She? She who?!   
  
That will not be your concern, dear girl. You'll be able to leave that to another.   
  
Another?!_   
  
The girl didn't get to dwell on that odd remark, for the old man had stopped pacing. He brought his hands to the middle of his torso and began making signs with them at such a rapid pace the girl had trouble keeping track of them.   
  
The man kneeled down before the girl, placed his hand on her forehead, and finished a final line of his chant. The girl's head suddenly began searing with pain. The last thing she remembered seeing was a bright light in front her. Then everything went black.   
  
The old man looked down at the child as he rose to his feet. She was a girl no more than fourteen. Her unconscious body had become limp with the final portion of his spell. The runes and symbols painted throughout her body began sliding across her skin, focusing and combining on her forehead, coalescing into a small sign resembling a tree in the forest.   
  
He made a gesture and two men, unseen by the child's eyes, cut loose her bonds. However, they did not move her. In minutes, the girl began to awaken. She looked at her surroundings, her face radiating confusion.   
  
"Where… What… Who…?" She asked in her bewilderment. The old man kneeled before her.   
  
"Hello, child."   
  
"W-who are you?" she asked.   
  
"I am the chieftain of the Nimmori tribe. And you, my dear…"   
  
He brought his wrinkled hand to her cheek as looked the girl right into her pupil-less white eyes.   
  
"You are Kashghyu N'Ga, 'She of the Ghostly Eyes,' the Chosen One of our people!"

* * *

Far from the birthplace of "She of the Ghostly Eyes," another day was passing in the village of Konohagakure. The end of a training session for Genin Cell Number Seven, consisting of Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto, and Uchiha Sasuke. Their teacher, Hatake Kakashi had just dismissed them, but as he was turning to leave, Naruto found himself being called back by Kakashi.   
  
Naruto went to his teacher, to see he wasn't alone. He was standing next to a woman. Naruto recognized her as Yuhi Kurenai, a _Jônin_ and Cell instructor like Kakashi. She was in charge of Cell Eight; Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Hyuga Hinata.   
  
"Naruto." said Kakashi, his voice, as always, seemingly unaffected by the mask he wore over his face twenty-four seven, "I have some good news for you."   
  
"Oh?" Naruto asked, curious and excited.   
  
"You're going on a mission."   
  
"We are?!" Naruto asked.   
  
"No, _you_ are."   
  
"Huh?"   
  
"I'll let Kurenai-sensei explain everything to you." said Kakashi has he vanished in a puff of smoke. Kurenai looked Naruto right in the eyes.   
  
"With your permission, Naruto," she began, "you're going to be loaned out to my team for a brief time."   
  
"What? What're you talking about?"   
  
"Something has come up." Kurenai explained, "And we think Cell 8 will need your assistance. It's already been approved by Hokage-sama, though I wished to ask for your consent before dragging you along."   
  
"Well, of course!" Naruto said, his cockiness beginning to overcome his surprise, "What major task do you need my great skill for?!"   
  
"Since you're so eager, I'll get straight to the point. Hinata has gone missing. You've just been recruited to help us find her."   
  
Naruto's excitement died the instant his brain processed what he'd just been told.


	2. Kidnapping

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

It has been less than a week ago. With the loss of so many Shinobi during the battle against the ninja of the Villages Hidden in the Sand and Sound, _Genin_ teams had been receiving much more difficult missions. It was on just such a mission that Hinata was lost.   
  
Cell 8 had been investigating recent attacks on farming towns up north that had begun since a recent earthquake. One night, thanks to Hinata's _Byakugan_, they caught sight of a scout. The team followed, Kiba and his dog, Akamaru, doing the majority of tracking.   
  
There, the cell learned that the robbers were bands of primitives. Perhaps aboriginines, or hunters who lived deep in the woods having difficult times. Regardless, the Konoha ninja were prepared to take them down and turn them to the local authorities.   
  
What they had, in no way, expected was an attack on themselves first. They were small in number, perhaps twenty or so, but surprisingly well trained. Far too well for primitives or hunters. But that wasn't what Kurenai could focus on. She directed her team to watch out for each other while Kurenai dealt with their attackers. She was able to fight off several of them. However, in the course of the fight, some had made their way to the _Genin_.   
  
Kurenai rushed to their aid, but not before the three had been beaten down. It couldn't have been helped, they were outnumbered and surprisingly overpowered. When Kurenai defeated the bandits attacking her students, she saw only Shino and Kiba were present. Bruised and beaten, but alive. Hinata was gone. Kurenai also noticed the attack had ended. They were running.   
  
With sudden alarm, Kurenai looked and saw them carrying away Hinata. She immediately began charging but the remaining fighters, and some that had recovered enough from Kurenai's beatings to get up, blocked her path. Focused solely on stopping her from proceeding.   
  
Faced with the decision, Kurenai did the only thing she could. She scooped Kiba & Shino into her arms and ran. Akamaru following close behind. She hated herself for leaving Hinata behind. But she had little hope of reaching her in that situation. By all indications, these people were familiar with the forests and she'd be hard pressed to track then. If they split up, it'd be even worse, for she'd have no idea who'd have Hinata. Also, in that event, it would only take one of them to double back and find Shino and Kiba. Then it would be her entire team lost.   
  
Kurenai had run. But she swore to herself, she _would_ return and get Hinata back.

* * *

"So, what happened to Shino and Kiba?" Naruto asked as he got his things together in a backpack. Kurenai had explained what happened on the way to Naruto's home.   
  
"There were some bruises and a couple of broken bones." Kurenai replied, "They're recuperating in the village that we were staying in. There's a doctor who knows medical ninjutsu, they should be fully recovered when we arrive."   
  
"I don't understand, though, why do you need me?!" he asked, genuinely perplexed. He'd seen enough of _Jônin_ to know they were immensely powerful. Enough that Kurenai should've been able to go alone and get Hinata after Kiba and Shino were safe.   
  
"I wasn't sure what to make of our adversaries." Kurenai replied, "Therefore, I thought it prudent to return to the village and inform Hokage-sama of this. She explained a few things to me. Among them the possible identities, and agenda, of the bandits. If she's right, we'll need you."   
  
"Well.. I don't totally understand. But okay." Naruto answered. He honestly didn't know what contribution he'd make in this endeavor. But he'd give it his all, like he always did. He liked Hinata. She was odd at times, but he had a lot of respect for her. While he didn't know Shino very well, he had also become a combination of friend and rival with regards to Inuzuka Kiba. If he could help them when they needed it, he wouldn't hesitate. He'd join team eight, for the time being. He'd find Hinata. No matter what. He hefted up his pack and let Kurenai-sensei know he was ready to leave.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** As you can guess by my calling Hokage a "she" this story is taking place after Tsunade's in charge.  
  
Also, if you're wondering, the name Hinata's given in chapter 1, Kashghyu N'Ga, isn't just something I made up out of nowhere. When I make names up, I like to take words, usually English & Japanese, and mix and match them.  
  
In my English/Japanese dictionary, _kanojo_ is listed as a pronoun for "She" and "her". (Kanojo She = Kash)  
The word "Ghost" is listed as _Yûrei_. (Ghost Yûrei = Ghyu)  
The "N'Ga" is simlply a rearrangement of the "gan" in _Byakugan_, which I'm reasonably certain means "eyes."


	3. Recon

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

It took only two days to reach the northern village, Kurenai setting a pace that only Naruto's immense stamina allowed him to follow without constant rest. When they arrived, Shino and Kiba were back at full health, ready to join in the mission. Both were quite surprised to see Naruto among them. Though only Kiba actually expressed this shock.   
  
"What the hell are _you_ doing here?!" Kiba shouted, not caring of the scene he was making in the village square.   
  
"I was asked to come here by _your_ Sensei!" shouted Naruto, also not caring of the scene he was making in the village square.   
  
"That can't be!!"   
  
"It can so!!"   
  
"No way!" Kiba said, with some barks from Akamaru agreeing with him.   
  
"It is, Kiba." Kurenai interrupted, "As soon as I finished reporting what happened to Hokage-sama I insisted on bringing Naruto with me."   
  
"Why?!"   
  
"Because, Kiba, if what Hokage-sama told me is correct, then this mission will require a team made up of people who know Hinata well. Besides you, Shino, and I that leaves Naruto."   
  
"Sensei," Shino spoke up, "Why is it important to have people who know Hinata?"   
  
"Let's go! I'll explain once I'm sure. I need to confirm something first."   
  
The _Genin_ followed their sensei through the thick forests outside the village. The woods were every bit as thick as the forests within Konohagakure. If not thicker than that. The trees provided a roof over them with only the occasional beams of sunlight peeking through. A foreboding place that reminded the _Genin_ of the Forest of Death way back in the Chunin Selection Exam. Though, fortunately, the deadly creatures from that forest weren't present here. If they were, the farming town behind them would have more to fear than simple bandits. Though when Kurenai suddenly stopped and cursed under her breath, the boys thought that maybe that was the case anyway.   
  
"Sensei, what's wrong?" Shino asked.   
  
Kurenai didn't respond immediately. She was occupied by the sight in front of her. It looked like a large mountain. But upon closer inspection it seemed to almost resemble a natural rock wall. A wall with a massive crack in it.   
  
"She was right… it's them…" she said.   
  
Neither Naruto nor Kiba got the chance to ask who "they" were. Before they could open their mouths, Akamaru began barking wildly. The question on Kiba's lips died instantly as he yelled for everyone to move. Nobody bothered asking why.   
  
Spears landed where the shinobi had been standing only a moment ago. The ninja scanned the area, finding several of the odd primitives that had kidnapped Hinata. They got their first good look at the people, who wore short pants, vests, and boots made of the skin of some local animals. Their exposed skin was painted in various tones of green and brown, making them blend in very well with their surroundings.   
  
_Basic concealment technique._ Kurenai thought, _But very effective._ Kurenai saw that they were outnumbered four-to-one and ordered a retreat. Naruto hesitated, brining his hands together to form the sign for the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, but Kurenai ordered him to stay down. She knew what they were dealing with now, and she wanted to make sure the _Genin_ knew as well before the proceeded.   
  
The four ninja made their escape smoothly. The group they saw seemed to simply be guards stationed at that crack. When they were far enough away she stopped the group. She saw Kiba and Naruto had shocked looks on their faces. Shino's face was as impassive as ever, though his aura radiated surprise as well.   
  
"What's wrong?" Kurenai asked.   
  
"Sensei… we…" Kiba stammered.   
  
"It was… we saw…" Naruto stuttered.   
  
"We saw Hinata." Shino told her.   
  
"What?!"   
  
"She was with them!!" Naruto claimed.   
  
While retreating, Akamaru had suddenly stopped and sniffed the air. He was so still that Kiba barely grabbed him in time to save the dog from a spear aimed at him. It was who threw the spear that shocked Kiba. He stopped as well, causing Shino and Naruto to have to pull him along. Naruto almost stopped himself at the sight, but Shino pressed them forward.   
  
They had all seen it, but they couldn't believe it. The one who had thrown the spear was a girl, no older than them. Indistinguishable from the other primitives except for one feature. Pupil-less white eyes that, combined with the body paint, made her seem almost as if she were some living incarnation of the forest itself. A demon of the woods.   
  
"There's no doubt anymore, then!" Kurenai told her charges. "Those primitives are the Nimmori, the people of the forest."


	4. The Village Hidden in the Forest

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

Despite her teammates' protests, Kurenai ordered a return to the village. She needed to fill them in before proceeding further. They didn't enjoy leaving Hinata behind, but they reluctantly agreed with the Jônin's logic that they couldn't rush in blindly or they'd never save Hianta.   
  
When they returned they went to the home of the doctor who had treated Shino & Kiba. The ninja and dog had some scratches Kurenai wanted to have tended to immediately, in the event of poison. Kurenai began her explanation to her team immediately after the doctor gave them a clean bill of health.   
  
"Those primitives were a tribe called the Nimmori. Their name is a bastardization of _Mori-nin_."   
  
"Forest Ninja." Shino said.   
  
"These guys are shinobi?!" Kiba asked.   
  
"Not exactly." Kurenai answered, "Long ago, well before the time of the country of Konoha, there existed a Hidden Village known as _Morigakure no Sato_, the Village Hidden in the Forest. Their village was located in a thick wood in a deep valley. A valley surrounded on all sides by a rock wall that, to the outside observer, would look simply as a steep mountain."   
  
"The broken rock wall." Shino said in realization. Kurenai nodded.   
  
"Many years ago, shortly before the founding of Konoha, the shinobi of Morigakure were cut off from the rest of the world by a great cataclysm. It was described as a powerful shaking that caved in every single one of the tunnels and paths the _Mori-nin_ used to get through the rock.   
  
"The cause of that disaster is lost in legend. Some say it was simply an earthquake. Others say maybe they were trying to summon a demon and it went horribly awry. Regardless, their village was lost to the known world. The only ones who remained were those shinobi fortunate enough to be away from Morigakure at that time. Those survivors would eventually found the country of Konoha and the village of Konohagakure."   
  
"If they were cut off like that, how do you know who they are?" Kiba asked.   
  
"In the time of Hokage the Fourth, an earthquake shook the land due east of here. A powerful shake that broke away much of the rock wall on that side of the Morigakure forest. The _Mori-nin_, held back so long, leapt at the chance to escape. However, time had not kind to the people Hidden in the Forest. Due to the lack of contact with the civilized world, the _Mori-nin_ degenerated in order to survive.   
  
"They were no longer the noble shinobi of the woods. They had become savages. Now calling themselves the Nimorri, they ravaged nearby towns, much like they are now. They also abducted people from the towns and brought them back to their home."   
  
"Why would they kidnap people?" Naruto asked.   
  
"New blood. The Nimmori had been trapped in their valley for over a century. In all that time, they had nobody but each other. The inevitable inbreeding resulted in a dwindling of the peoples' numbers. They needed new blood for their tribe to grow."   
  
"You mean… they took people… they took _Hinata_ so they could…" Kiba felt sick to his stomach.   
  
"I'm not so sure." Kurenai said quickly, "If that were true, they would've tried to kidnap all of us. They were prepared to kill us to keep Hinata only. Also, there've been no reports of abductions here."   
  
"And no activity at all since Hinata's abduction." Shino reported. Kurenai nodded gravely.   
  
"Um… excuse me…" Naruto asked, his hand in the air, "What about the last time? Were they stopped?"   
  
"Yes. Hokage-sama the Fourth defeated the Nimmori by once again trapping them behind their rock wall. He caved in the one path broken open before. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to save many of the people the Nimmori had taken. Even if he could have taken them, they were lost."   
  
Kurenai's students exchanged looks of confusion.   
  
"The Nimmori still possessed some ancient jutsu. One of which was a powerful Genjutsu that re-made a person's mind. Whoever that person was in the past, they were transformed into a Nimmori. That is what they've done to Hinata."   
  
"Why would they do something like that?" Naruto asked.   
  
"What better way to make sure your prisoners won't run?" Shino asked in reply. "Not only that, but so long as they believed themselves Nimmori, they would not only remain with the tribe, but _resist_ any attempt at rescue."   
  
"Exactly." Kurenai said, "Those few that were rescued needed a lot of time to become themselves again. Those who recovered most quickly were the ones who had been under the Nimmori's thrall for a short period of time and had friends and family there with them."   
  
"That's why you wanted people who know Hinata." Kiba stated.   
  
"And why you hurried us here." Naruto pointed out.   
  
"Yes, the four of us are currently the best chance of freeing Hinata before it's too-"   
  
Kurenai was interrupted by the village doctor bursting into the room.   
  
"Sensei-san!" he cried out, "Come quick! Some of… of.. _them_ are outside!"   
  
"Them?" Naruto asked.   
  
"The raiders."   
  
"The Nimmori!" Kurenai gasped.   
  
"There's a girl leading them, she's demanding to speak to the shinobi here."   
  
"A girl?" Kurenai asked. She went to a window of the house which had a view of the path into the town. Fortunate in case someone was brining a wounded man or woman that way. But now, Kurenai wished to see this girl with the Nimmori. She had a horrible feeling she knew who it was.   
  
Sure enough, there was band of Nimmori, painted and clad in animal skins. And sure enough, at the head of that band, was Hyuga Hinata. Known to her people as Kashghyu N'Ga. She of the Ghostly Eyes.


	5. The New Hinata

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

The Konoha ninja looked at the group of Nimmori assembled outside the village limits. The apparent leader was none other than Hyuga Hinata. She stood at the front of the group of just under twenty men and women of varying age. She was clad in the animal skin sleeveless vest, short pants, and boots that the Nimmori favored. She was also adorned with small bits of jewelry. Bracelets and a necklace that had small fangs on them. Beads strewed about her blue-black hair. Her exposed skin was painted in colors of the forest, providing camouflage in the woods. In the middle of her forehead was a black mark resembling a tree that Kurenai suspected wasn't simply paint. In her right hand was a wooden spear with a stone point.   
  
Kurenai didn't waste time. She went to a pad of paper on a desk and wrote something out. She handed the paper to the doctor and whispered something to him. When that was done, she motioned for the boys to come with her, stopping Naruto before he left.   
  
"Naruto, create some Kage Bunshin and send them around the perimeter of the village. Have them keep hidden until I tell you otherwise."   
  
Naruto nodded and did as Kurenai asked, creating a dozen Shadow Doubles of himself and sending them out. They used a window facing away from the Nimmori so the primitives wouldn't see them. The real Naruto followed behind Kurenai and her team. They approached the group cautiously. Kurenai looked carefully to either side, spotting some of Naruto's Bunshin hiding themselves nearby.   
  
The path the ninja tread was flat and had little or no vegetation other than a few bushes and some small hills. In spite of this, Naruto's clones were doing their job well enough that Kurenai didn't believe any of them had been seen. As they approached the Nimmori, Akamaru leaped ahead and ran to Hinata, barking cheerfully. However, a glare from the girl brought the dog running back to his master. Hinata leveled her spear, pointing it at her teacher.   
  
"You are the _shee'nobie_ of the Fire Shadow?"   
  
Kurenai was a little stunned. Hinata had just spoken with a heavy accent, as though she were speaking an until recently unknown language. Yet, she was speaking her native tongue.   
  
"We are. I am Yuhi Kurenai." Kurenai said, introducing herself and trying to sound as if she'd never met Hinata before now. She thought it likely that acting familiar would only anger the girl. Especially if she'd been conditioned to answer to another name.   
  
"I" Hinata began, "am Kashghyu N'Ga, of the Blessed Line of the Nimmori."   
  
Again, Kurenai was a bit stunned. Hinata was speaking with a confidence the _Jônin_ had never heard from the girl before. She felt tension beside her and saw Shino looking at Hinata intently. He was clearly having thoughts along the same line. However, Naruto and Kiba…   
  
"What's the matter with you?! You're Hinata!" Naruto yelled.   
  
"Hyuga Hinata!" Kiba shouted. Kiba tried to move towards Hinata, but the other Nimmori pointed their own weapons at the boy, forcing him to step back.   
  
"You've interfered in our affairs several times now." Hinata said to Kurenai, ignoring Kiba and Naruto.   
  
"Your people have interfered in the affairs of these lands." Kurenai countered. She was stalling. This was too good a chance to miss, but the timing had to be right. Some of Naruto's Bunshin were slowing, they had trouble moving about the terrain without being seen.   
  
"Mm?" Hinata arched an eyebrow at Kurenai. Kurenai cursed to herself. Could Hinata have noticed her glancing to the sides? With the Hyugas' skill for reading body language, it wasn't unlikely.   
  
Hinata handed her spear to one of her companions and brought her hands up to her chest. As she began weaving the signs necessary to activate the _Byakugan_ Kurenai knew it was now or never.   
  
"Naruto! Now!" she yelled as loud as she could.   
  
The doubles Naruto created leapt out of their hiding places, surrounding the band of Nimmori. The odds were considerably more in the shinobis' favor now. The Narutos pulled out and threw shuriken at the Nimmori, many were able to dodge but injury hadn't been the intent. Instead, the primitives had scattered. Not much, but enough. They were no longer a cohesive unit they were now eighteen separate people who happened to be on the same side.   
  
Hinata, whose forehead veins now pulsed out with the activation of her _Kekkei Genkai_ began issuing orders. Once again surprising Kurenai by giving them in the Nimmori tongue. Fluently and with confidence, by the sound of it. The scattered Nimmori began to regroup, but Kurenai wasn't about to give them the necessary time. Her Genin students right behind her, she charged into the group.   
  
If their actions were any indication, Hinata's orders to the Nimmori had been to split up and go one-on-one with their opponents. Each of them went after one of their enemies, except Hinata. She, along with two others, a boy and a girl slightly older than Hinata herself, focused on Kurenai, the biggest danger of the _Konoha-nin_.   
  
If it were simply three Nimmori, Kurenai wouldn't have had much trouble incapacitating them. At their best they seemed to be even with the Genin in one-on-one fights. The fact that most of the battles around her were about evenly matched confirmed this thought. However, Hinata's presence was a hindrance. Kurenai didn't want to harm her student, a sentiment her student didn't currently share. Also, Hinata was making good use of her two teammates. Often two of the three would attack in a feint, hoping to leave Kurenai open from a hit from the third member of the party.   
  
To make matters worse, more of the Nimmori party began leaping into the fray. With a quick scan of the area she saw some of Naruto's Kage-Bunshin had been defeated, those that had finished them were joining other fights. Two more were battling Kurenai, a third joined her partner in fighting with Kiba and Akamaru. Naruto and his other Bunshin were having better luck with their foes. She saw one of the Nimmori had even been defeated. Shino had one enemy surrounded by his Chakra-devouring insects.   
  
Before they could swarm the poor primitive, however, Hinata saw her comrade's trouble and acted. She shouted commands to her teammates. They again repeated the patter of attacking Kurenai simultaneously, leaving an opening for Hinata. Hinata ran in and, with her right middle and index fingers, struck a point inches below Kurenai's left breast, followed immediately by another shot to the right thigh. They were barely glancing blows, but they were enough. Kurenai suddenly felt her body get warm. Her Chakra had begun overflowing in her, beyond her control. She knew immediately why. Hinata had struck two _Tenketsu_ points on her body to increase her body's Chakra flow.   
  
She didn't ponder the reason why for long, however, as Shino's insects suddenly stopped short of crawling onto the Nimmori that was Shino's opponent. The began leaving the young boy, Kurenai estimated he was seventeen, and began going to a new target.   
  
Kurenai herself. The insects fed off of Chakra. The massive amount Kurenai was putting out now thanks to Hinata had attracted the insects so strongly they were moving against Shino's commands.   
  
"Surrender. Or you die." Hinata said, cold as ice.   
  
"Won't happen." Kurenai said defiantly.   
  
Shino put all of his concentration into getting his insects under control. Too much concentration, it seemed, as his opponent was able to get the drop on him. Shino tried to fight back but found himself kicked and pinned to the ground, a stone spear at his throat.   
  
"Surrender. Or he dies." Hinata said, equally cold. Kurenai hesitated, hoping Shino might solve his problem himself. She could handle the insects if need be.   
  
Elsewhere, Kurenai saw the last of Naruto's Bunshin fall and Naruto himself surrounded by four Nimmori. Kiba and Akamaru were no better off. Their opponents had managed to separate the two, damaging greatly their ability to work as a team. Akamaru soon fell, and his attacker used threats to his life to make Kiba back down.   
  
"Surrender. Or _they_ die." Hinata said. Finally, seeing no other choice, Kurenai raised her hands. She didn't dare risk all her students' lives. Especially since one of them wasn't really her student to begin with. Hinata walked to Kurenai, warning her that if the _Jônin_ attempted anything her comrades would be killed. Hinata put her fingers together and undid the _Tenketsu_ hits she had inflicted earlier.   
  
Shino's insects, no longer swayed by the enormous meal of Kurenai's Chakra, responded to Shino's mental commands once again. Shino took Kurenai's lead, and didn't attempt to use the insects to attack, knowing it would only lead to most (if not all) of the shinobi being killed.   
  
The shinobi were each bound hands tied behind their backs. Kurenai noted that their hands were bound very tightly together by the wrists. This made it difficult, if not impossible, to form jutsu seals. It was a somewhat standard method for dealing with captured ninja. But Kurenai couldn't help but wonder if this were standard Nimmori practice, or if Hinata had something to do with the method. This whole incident disturbed Kurenai far more than she liked thinking about.   
  
What kind of Genjutsu can change someone so greatly that they speak their first language like a foreign tongue, yet let them keep battle skills they couldn't have gotten anyplace but their homeland? 

**AUTHOR'S CONCERNS:** I kind of hope I didn't make Kurenai & co. go down to easily. I tried to think of the most believable way to do it and, obviously, overpowering a _Jônin_ is no easy task.  
  
On a side note, I noticed this chapter that I'm using italics a lot. A bit more than I'd initially meant to. For what it's worth. I thought it would make a nice effect to do it with specific, obviously Japanese words (Byakugan, Kekkei Genkai, etc.) but I might slack off on that in later chapters. Keeping it only for certain words, techniques when they're called out, emphasis, and inner thoughts of characters.


	6. The Wood Shadow

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

His title among the Nimmori was the Ki'ge. The name was derived from the title given to the leader of _Morigakure no Sato_. It was given only to the most powerful and respected ninja of the land. Had the village not been cut off and remained in contact with modern society, the Ki'ge might well have been known as Kyûdaime Kikage, the Ninth Wood Shadow.   
  
However, after many years of life, much of the power held in youth had left the old man. He still maintained much respect among his people, but his body had become frail, his bones brittle. It became far more difficult to replenish his Life's Flame after using his abilities. Soon a successor would be needed. However, he had something he wished to see before he was called to the next life. The Ki'ge had to ensure that Kashghyu N'Ga fulfilled her purpose for the Nimmori. Until then, he would gasp every breath he could. Until that glorious day.   
  
It wasn't long after Kashghyu's hunting party left that it came back with the four _shee'nobie_ of fire in tow. The Ki'ge looked outside of his hut, constructed high around a top of one of the forest's tallest trees, to see the captives as they were led to where they would be held. He saw the red-eyed woman and the three boys, led in by the young men and women who had served in the hunting party. The Ki'ge noted some of their number were missing. He told himself to ask Kashghyu about it when she reported. Hopefully, it meant only injuries and no death. Their numbers were precious few, not even two hundred, and the coming days would need as much manpower as they could muster.   
  
The Ki'ge sat on the mats scattered about the floor of his hut, waiting for the arrival he knew would come. Nearly an hour later, Kashghyu N'ga walked in, dropping to her knee in a show of respect. The beads in the girl's hair rattled against each other as she bowed her head. The paints that had covered her bare face, arms, and legs were now gone, revealing the pale skin underneath. She had gone to the village hot springs to cleanse herself after the hunt, as was Nimmori custom. Only the seal on her forehead remained. She was barefoot, her boots sitting outside the hut's door. The Ki'ge noticed something in the girl's arms, but wanted more pressing matters taken care of first.   
  
"Honored Ki'ge," she spoke, "I am pleased to inform you that the _shee'nobie_ of the Fire Shadow are ours. They are currently tied for all to see in the Center."   
  
The Center was the trunk of an ancient tree, long ago cut down, which rested in the center of the village that was often used for tribal meetings. He imagined the four had been tied to stakes in the center, in view of most of the village.   
  
"There were injuries." Kashghyu continued, "No deaths, however. The injured have gone to the healers to seek treatment."   
  
"Anything serious?"   
  
"Some broken bones, one had trouble walking. However, the injured refused our help, instead supporting themselves. They did not wish our goals compromised by removing the guard off the _shee'nobie_ only for their aid."   
  
The Ki'ge smiled at the pride that entered the girl's voice. She was no doubt pleased with the honor with which those under her command had acted. The Ki'ge then heard an odd whining sound, and a whispered curse from the girl. He noticed then, that what the child had in her arms was a small pup.   
  
"What is this, child?" he asked her.   
  
"This animal was carried by one of the _shee'nobie_." Kashghyu reported, "I can not explain why, but I was… compelled… to keep it away from that one."   
  
"Oh?" the Ki'ge asked, interested. He noticed Kashghyu began to tremble a little.   
  
"Those people… they kept calling me something…"   
  
"A name." the Ki'ge said, not a question. A statement of fact. Kashghyu's face shot up, her pale white eyes looking into those of the older man.   
  
"Hinata." she said, her voice barely above a whisper.   
  
"Did you have any other strange… compulsions… besides keeping the dog?"   
  
"Well…" the girl started, beginning to sound nervous, "I ordered that the edge of the plaza be coated in the ointments we use to keep insects away… but I know why I did that!" she suddenly yelled, as if trying to convince herself, "One of them can control insects."   
  
"The repelling ointment will prevent them from coming to his aid." the Ki'ge said approvingly, "Anything else?"   
  
"The third boy… my face becomes warm when I look at him. I only thank the goddess that my face was painted or I'd've looked foolish. Why does this happen to me with them?"   
  
"The answer, my child, is simple. They are from before."   
  
"Before… you mean…" she asked, disbelieving.   
  
"Yes. Before you came to us. Before you underwent the Rites of Purification and became Nimmori."   
  
"They came for me!" the girl exclaimed. Her cold as ice attitude faltering.   
  
"They did."   
  
"Why?!"   
  
"Why else? They fear your powers in the wrong hands. Namely, any hands but their own. You are of the Blessed Line. The power of your Ghostly Eyes is proof. Those of the Line were lost in the great closing that sealed the Nimmori in this valley. Many were among those who were gone at that time. Those few who remained died in the disaster. Those who remain are servants of the Flame."   
  
"We had feared all hope was lost when we discovered this, so many years ago. But, the goddess has delivered you to us. The moment I saw you, I knew. You were Chosen among the Blessed, Kashghyu N'Ga."   
  
"Thank you, sir." Kashghyu said, once again feeling warmth in her face.   
  
"Is there anything else to report?" the Ki'ge asked.   
  
"There is not. All that is left is to decide the fate of the _shee'nobie_."   
  
"It is dangerous, to simply leave them. They could interfere with the rituals should they escape. Yet, at the same time, killing them outright might not be advisable either. They are powerful, if they were able to resist yourself and several of our warriors."   
  
"Shall you purify them, Honored Ki'ge, as you did me?"   
  
"I would like to. But I fear for my health should I attempt it. I no longer possess the great strength of my youth. My Life's Flame does not rekindle like yours can, my dear."   
  
"Then what shall we do?" Kashghyu asked.   
  
"Despite the risk, we will leave them for now. They shall still be purified, but not until after. When you have finished your role in future events, you shall bring them to our number."   
  
"Yes sir." Kashghyu said. Kashghyu N'ga couldn't help but feel another unexplained emotion. Though she did not understand why, she felt relief that the _shee'nobie_ would not be killed.   
  
"When all is done, no taint will be so strong it cannot be destroyed before you."   
  
"Yes, honored Ki'ge."   
  
With the Ki'ge's leave, she rose and left to retire for the night.   
  
_Soon,_ the Ki'ge thought as he watched her leave, _the very world will return to the purity of nature. Just as we did. For soon, She of the Ghostly Eyes, you will become our Goddess-Made-Flesh._


	7. Conversations in the Night

_**NARUTO**_

_**GHOSTLY EYES**_

By

Sgamer82

The four Konoha Shinobi found it difficult to sleep that night. Not surprising, as they were standing, tied to poles stuck in the top of a giant tree trunk. The four ninja were aligned in a circle with their backs to one another. To Kurenai's left was Kiba, to Kiba's left Naruto, to Naruto's left Shino, and to Shino's left Kurenai. Spread around them was a sticky, translucent substance which Shino reported made his insects very hesitant to leave his body.   
  
Since their arrival in this village, Kiba and Naruto spent most of the time switching between bickering with one another and complaining about the circumstances. Shino was characteristically quiet. Kurenai was silent as well, watching those around her throughout the day. Kurenai studied everything intently. The Nimmori village consisted of circular wooden huts high around the trees. They were seemingly built to be one with the tree, with the roof and floor extending outward. Kurenai thought it looked almost as if the huts were growing out from the trees. A series of bridges and ladders were scattered in an arrangement Kurenai could only assume made sense to their captors.   
  
The Nimmori villagers had spent their day taunting the four Shinobi. Kids came by, occasionally pelting them with rotten fruit and vegetables. While Shino and Kurenai had taken a few, Kiba and Naruto had proven the most amusing of targets, as they often yelled and complained the loudest. Shino and Kurenai gave little reaction, making them less fun.   
  
Kurenai periodically tested their bonds. Nothing special. The knots weren't easy to undo, nor were they impossible. She and at least one of the _Genin_ should be able to do it. But Kurenai gave them instructions not to escape yet. She wanted time first. She wanted to learn more of their situation if at all possible.   
  
Luck seemed to be on their side when a yip-yapping noise was heard. It took a moment for the noise to register as a dog's barking. There were dogs in the village, so it could easily be one of them. However, for one in their party, this bark was recognizable.   
  
"Akamaru!!" Kiba yelled out, "It's Akamaru!" he was stomping his feet in excitement. He had been worried about his partner from the moment Hinata took the dog away. Listening, Kurenai and Shino recognized the dog's familiar barking as well.   
  
"Kiba. What does Akamaru say?"   
  
"Hmm…" Kiba listened, "He says he's with Hinata. She went to see their leader. He doesn't know what they talked about. They spoke another language."   
  
Kiba listened further, now not bothering to translate as he went so as to get more of the message. Kiba listened until Akamaru's barks suddenly cut off with a loud yelp.   
  
"Akamaru? Akamaru?!" Kiba yelled, almost sounding like he was howling.   
  
"What happened?" Kurenai asked.   
  
"I don't know. Akamaru just stopped! He screamed out, like something was attacking him."   
  
"If Akamaru is with Hinata," Shino said, "She might have realized Akamaru's barking was more than just a loud dog."   
  
"How can that be?" Naruto asked, "I thought she didn't remember us at all!"   
  
"That doesn't seem to be entirely true." Kurenai said, "She has the memories, but it seems they've been pushed away, to make room for the personality of this 'Kashghyu N'Ga'."   
  
"Huh?" Naruto asked.   
  
"Hinata's memory hasn't been lost or erased, just put to the side. Think about her actions. She laid out this strange substance around us. As a result, Shino's insects can't leave his body, and none on the outside can come to us. She took Akamaru away from Kiba. And if she has Akamaru with her, it would explain why he was just silenced."   
  
Kurenai was silent a moment before speaking again.   
  
"Naruto, while on the way here, did Hinata look at you?"   
  
"Huh? Come to think of it, I think she kept glancing at me. When I looked at her, though, she turned away. Does that mean anything? I mean, she does that all the time!"   
  
"Ugh!" Kiba muttered, "How can you be so dense?!"   
  
"What?!"   
  
"Kiba!" Shino warned just as Kiba had begun speaking again. They both knew of Hinata's feelings for Naruto. However, they had agreed not to say anything to Naruto until Hinata did. It wasn't their place to reveal Hinata's secrets.   
  
"Kiba, what did Akamaru say before he stopped?"   
  
"Well, Hinata talked to these guys' leader then went to a different hut. I guess her home. He said she sparred with some of the village boys and beat them all."   
  
"Wow… go Hinata." Naruto said.   
  
"The whole time, though, Hinata acted very different from what Akamaru knew. He said she was sleeping, but I think Akamaru woke her."   
  
Kurenai considered what she'd been told. Hinata's mind had been literally transformed and made her think she was someone else. But why? And how could they undo it? Kurenai didn't think it'd be possible to take Hinata by force and do it after returning home. She'd be heavily protected here, considering the amount of reverence these people seemed to hold her in.   
  
_Wait… reverence…_   
  
"The Blessed Line of the Nimmori…" Kurenai said aloud, remembering the words of Hinata earlier in the day.   
  
"Come again?" Kiba asked.   
  
"The reason for their taking Hinata. I think it has to do with being a Hyuga. They want her _Kekkei Genkai _for something."   
  
"But what?" Naruto asked. It was Shino who answered.   
  
"Sensei, when you told us of these people, didn't you tell us of a rumor-"   
  
"That they had tried and failed to raise a demon." Kurenai exclaimed, following her student's train of thought, "That is a definite possibility. They want to try again, and somehow the Byakugan can help them. Unfortunately, we still have too little to know for sure. I think we should wait to make our escape. We still have time, and we might learn something else."   
  
"Huh?" Kiba and Naruto said together. Time for what?

* * *

The dog ran and hid the moment the stone spearhead flew by its face. Kashghyu N'Ga sat at on her futon, made of furs and a bird-down pillow. She had been sleeping badly, and waking up to the animal's noise didn't help. Especially since hearing it had brought about another of those strange impulses she'd had of late. For some reason, she knew the dog shouldn't be allowed to speak. As if someone could understand it.   
  
In a way, though, she was almost grateful to the pup for waking her. Her dreams bothered her. She kept seeing faces, hearing voices, smelling scents. All of it was incredibly familiar, yet she couldn't recall any of it. Some of it was pleasant. She saw the boys she now knew to be Fire Shinobi in her dreams. Giving her encouragement and friendship. The woman as well. She saw the woman speaking with authority, explaining various points on various subjects. Kashghyu also saw a man, with eyes as white has hers, berating and yelling at her. A small child, a girl with white eyes, looking up at her and smiling. The word "neesan" was clearly heard by Kashghyu at this point.   
  
They were Before. Before she came to the Nimmori. Before she became She of the Ghostly Eyes. The dreams upset her greatly. She always felt great pain in her heart. She didn't know if it was regret or something else. If she woke during the white-eyed man's part in the dreams, Kashghyu would awake with tears flowing down her cheeks. With the blonde boy, her cheeks would be burning red. She wiped tears from her eyes. Tonight's dream had been the white-eyed man.   
  
"Kashghyu" a voice called.   
  
"Yes, father."   
  
The man who entered the room was clearly not Kashghyu's father. His name was Da Iri'ga. He was Kashghyu N'Ga's guardian. At age forty-eight, he had battled when the Nimmori had fought the Fire Ninja before. He had also overseen the rearing of many outsiders who had been purified into Nimmori. He was handpicked by the Ki'ge to watch over Kashghyu N'Ga.   
  
"More dreams?" he asked. Kashghyu nodded. Many who were purified had the dreams of their past for weeks, even months after. Though by the end of the first half of the first year the dreams always faded completely.   
  
"The dog…" Kashghyu said, almost as an afterthought, "It shouldn't be allowed to speak. We should muzzle it."   
  
As the dog whined, Da Iri'ga kneeled down before his surrogate child.   
  
"Do you know why?" he asked.   
  
"His master… they can communicate… I think…"   
  
Tears from the dreams were flowing from her eyes again. Da Iri'ga embraced the girl in his arms. All the confidence she had in daylight seemed to fade at these times. Da Iri'ga thought she must not have had an easy life Before.   
  
"Perhaps this is not the best time, then…"   
  
"It's been decided?" she asked.   
  
"The signs say that the best time to perform the rituals will be three days from now."   
  
"Three days." she repeated.   
  
"The Ki'ge will prepare everything. You will not be needed until the final moments."   
  
"I am nervous." Kashghyu said, growing more excited, "What if I fail? The great disaster could befall us again!"   
  
"You needn't fear." Da Iri'ga told her, "The possibility of you failing is not something I, or anyone else, has considered. You are strong, and because of that strength we all have faith in you."   
  
"You needn't fear," he repeated, "You will succeed. Now rest."   
  
Da Iri'ga gave his surrogate child a goodnight kiss on the forehead before getting to his feet. He looked around the room a moment, before finding the dog Akamaru and taking the animal with him out of the room. He would see to Kashghyu's request to muzzle it.   
  
As Kashghyu laid herself back down, her hand went to that same spot Da Iri'ga had kissed. She ran her finger across the tree sign that marked her as an outsider purified into the Nimmori. Gradually, she drifted into sleep once more.   
  
Da Iri'ga's affirmation that she would not… no, _could_ not fail, helped ease Kashghyu's worries. Enough so that she could easily deal with her dreams that night.


	8. Escape!

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

At daybreak, the Konoha ninja saw Hinata again. Kurenai watched as her student, wearing Nimmor garb and surrounded by what could only be called an honor guard, walked to them. Kiba noticed immediately that Akamaru was in Hinata's arms. The pup was whimpering sadly behind leather muzzle tied around his mouth. Shino kept quiet, his eyes never leaving Hinata. Naruto, who was tied behind Kurenai with his back to everything, kept trying to see around the log he was tied to, asking what was going on every few seconds.  
  
"Hinata!" Kiba shouted, "You better have one damn good reason for muzzling Akamaru!!"  
  
Hinata ignored Kiba, who began shouting various expletives, and turned to Kurenai.  
  
"Our honored leader, the Ki'ge, has decided your fate. I have been instructed to inform you of it."  
  
Fearing their sentence could easily be immediate execution, Kurenai decided that it was time to make a move. She and the Genin boys had already planned their actions out to coincide for the inevitable moment when Hinata, for one reason or another, would come to confront them. She had to, she was probably the only one among the Nimmori who spoke their language.  
  
Kurenai used her hand, tied behind the log and out of sight, to touch Kiba's hands gently. Kiba quieted for a moment while he ran his fingers through Kurenai's palm, acknowledging the signal to begin. Kurenai thought he heard Kiba mutter a quiet apology to Hinata.  
  
"Hey!! Hinata!! I asked you! Why is Akamaru muzzled?!"  
  
This time Hinata turned to the boy.  
  
"He was noisy, so I had him quieted. Do I need to muzzle you as well?"  
  
"What did you say?! You wouldn't be so tough if I weren't tied up!"  
  
Hinata just smirked.  
  
"I won't fall for such a simple trick." she told him, obviously believing he was trying to trick her into releasing him.  
  
"You won't face me like a ninja! Like a Hyuga!"  
  
Kurenai saw Hinata tense at the mention of the name Hyuga. She recovered by resuming her message from where she left off.  
  
"In two days' time, your are to be purifi-"  
  
"Coward!" Kiba yelled, "Weakling! You wouldn't dare face me in an even fight, would you!"  
  
"Quiet!" Hinata snapped. Kurenai couldn't help but find it just a little creepy to hear Hinata speaking that way.  
  
"I picked up little of the language sitting here all night! The girl of the ghostly eyes! That's what your fake name means, right?"  
  
"It is not fake!!"  
  
"Oh, because I thought your name was Hyuga-"  
  
"SHUT UP!" Hinata screamed suddenly. Just as suddenly, her balance became unsteady. She let go of Akamaru as she began clutching her head, as if struck by some invisible object. The Nimmori honor guard, as well as bystanders, surrounded the girl to see to her. The dog ran towards Kiba.  
  
"Now!" Kurenai said, just loud enough so that the Genin would hear her. Kurenai brought forth her hands, loosened from their bonds by several hours of work during the night. She formed a sign in front of her, causing a smokescreen to suddenly blast out from nowhere. Shino loosed his bonds and quickly helped free Kiba and Naruto, who hadn't been so fortunate with their own ropes.  
  
In the seconds needed to free the two Genin, the Nimmori's surprise had faded. Some began weaving signs Kurenai knew would result in her smoke being cleared. She touched Naruto on the shoulder, who immediately placed his hands together.  
  
"_Kage-Bunshin-no-Jutsu_!!" Four Narutos appeared in the smoke.  
  
"_Henge_!" Naruto cried, making three of the Narutos transform into replicas of Kurenai, Shino, & Kiba. The Bunshin charged from the smoke and into battle. Meanwhile, the real Shinobi made their escape in the opposite direction.  
  
The doubles were cut down quickly by the Nimmori, disappearing in puffs of smoke. But the distraction gave the Leaf Shinobi time to retreat. They made their escape by leaping from the various tree branches to the village entrance they had been brought in from. Most Nimmori they crossed were surprised enough by their sudden appearance and disappearance that none thought to grab a weapon or raise an alarm until the ninja were safely distant from them.  
  
"Kurenai-sensei!" Naruto asked as they passed the outskirts of the hidden village, "What exactly happened?!"  
  
"Kiba." Kurenai said, indicating he should explain.  
  
"I'll put it in tiny words for you." Kiba said with a grin, one Naruto didn't return, "When me, Hinata, and Shino first got teamed up, you can figure I had a hard time."  
  
"Yeah!" Naruto said, now grinning, "You're an even bigger loudmouth than me and you got stuck with two of the quietest people in the village!!"  
  
"Exactly." Kiba said, letting the loudmouth remark slide, "It drove me nuts. Shino _wouldn't_ say a word, and Hinata was so shy she _couldn't_! I figured out right away Shino was a lost cause, so I started bugging Hinata all the time, trying to get her to open up a bit. To at least say something to me!"  
  
"How'd that go?" Naruto asked as he jumped from a branch.  
  
"He failed." Shino answered, "If anything, he only scared Hinata."  
  
"Finally," Kiba said, resuming his place, "I walked up to Hinata and told her flat out…"

* * *

_"I'll make you speak to me! Even if it means the only words you ever say are 'Shut up, Kiba!'"_  
  
Kashghyu N'Ga held her head as those words echoed in her mind. The moment she had told the dog's master to "shut up" those words, his words, had burst from her lost memory. Everything else was drowned out by the Kiba boy's words.  
  
Da Iri'ga, a member of Kashghyu's honor guard, held his foster-daughter tight. Her feet had become unsteady with the reemergence of memories. He kept her from falling to the ground.  
  
After a few moments, the voice subsided and Kashghyu was able to look around. She saw the empty logs and broken bonds and immediately recognized what happened.  
  
"They escaped…" she said, stating the obvious, "I'm sorry…"  
  
"Do not be." Da Iri'ga told her.  
  
"They escaped because of me! Because I'm not strong enough to put the past behind me!"  
  
"To do that is difficult for anybody. For you even more so, because the sources of your memories were here before you."  
  
Indeed, fearing such an occurrence, Da Iri'ga had asked that someone else be the one to tell the Shinobi of their purification. Unfortunately, nobody could do it. Even those who were themselves purified in the past had long forgotten their own language. Kashghyu was the only person who had any knowledge of it. Meaning she was the only one to tell them what was going to happen.  
  
"Others will take up the hunt." Da Iri'ga told her, "For now, put what happened from your mind. Prepare yourself for the coming rituals. Strengthen yourself, body and soul, so that you may do the Nimmori proud."  
  
"I will, Father…" she responded, her voice lacking the confidence of Kashghyu N'ga and sounding more like Hyuga Hinata.

* * *

In the dense wood outside of the Nimmori village, Kurenai leapt from tree to tree. The Genin followed behind her, bewildered. Kurenai seemed to be searching for something. Naruto even asked Kiba if she was lost.  
  
"Doubt it." Kiba answered, "She's got a good enough sense of direction to know we aren't near the crack in the mountain we got in her from."  
  
"That would be a dangerous place to go." Shino said, "The Nimmori will likely swarm there to cut us off. Besides that, she's also been looking at the ground, she's searching for something."  
  
"What?" Naruto asked.  
  
"Right below us." Kurenai said, surprising her students, "I was looking for them."  
  
She pointed to the ground beneath them. There the Genin saw a group of people camped out. About four in all. Three men, one woman. They were all looking right at the ninja. The ninja saw the four individuals, all with milky white eyes and _Hitai-Ate_ bearing the Leaf sign on their foreheads, and immediately recognized who they were.  
  
"Are they…" Naruto asked.  
  
"Hyuga?!" Kiba finished.  
  
"Yes. They're our backup." Kurenai answered.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** If this chapter isn't as good as some of the past ones, I apologize. I wanted to continue the story, but I hit something of a writer's block. Fortunately, some of the stuff I'm most eager to write is coming up soon, and that comes fairly easy for me. But I needed to actually _get_ to that point. So, even if it is a bit lackluster, I needed a chapter (possibly two) to act as a go-between from one point to the next. 


	9. The Goddess of the Forest

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

The four ninja leapt down to where the four Hyuga waited.  
  
"If I didn't know what to look for, I never would seen your marks." Kurenai told them.  
  
"We had to be as subtle as possible." said the Hyuga woman, "If, as you and Hokage-sama believe, these people are truly the former ninja hidden in the forests, they could potentially notice any but the faintest of signs."  
  
"Huh?" Kiba asked, "What signs?"  
  
"On the way here, I saw very faint cuts in some of the trees." Kurenai explained, "Nothing too obvious, to avoid Nimmori finding them and realizing what they were. I knew our new companions would attempt something like this so I kept an eye out as we got out of the village."  
  
"So that's what she was searching for…" Naruto said in realization.  
  
"Correct." Kurenai told him.  
  
"How long have you been here? Are there more of you?" Naruto asked.  
  
"Less than a day, and we're all that could come. Almost all of the battle ready Hyuga were out on missions at the time of Hinata-sama's loss." one of the men in the Hyuga said, "The four of us were due back from a mission only hours after Hokage-sama said Kurenai-san left. But she wouldn't wait."  
  
"I was concerned with learning Hinata's condition as soon as possible." she turned to the Genin, "Her challenge to us provided the best opportunity to do that. I'd hoped to reclaim her then, but things didn't work out so well."  
  
"Lucky thing you had the foresight to write instructions for that village doctor to give us." one of the men said. Kurenai nodded.  
  
"While we're on the subject," the woman said, "What is Hinata-sama's condition?"  
  
Naruto listened as Kurenai filled in the four Hyuga. Naruto gathered they were from the Branch Family, as they each wore Hitai-Ate on their heads, like Hyuga Neji, and each at one point referred to Hinata as "Hinata-sama." Naruto noted they showed little surprise at Kurenai's theory that the Nimmori wanted Hinata for the _Byakugan_. They even seemed to be ready for Kurenai's telling them that one of the possible reasons they thought the reason for this was the calling of a demon.  
  
"That cult still lives…" the woman said.  
  
"In an environment like this, it's no surprise." said a man, with black hair that went down to the small of his back.  
  
"You know about this?" Kiba asked. A short haired young man, who had identified himself as Uaishi, nodded.  
  
"The story is often told to Hyuga in their youth. It is the earliest known example of outsiders using the _Byakugan_ for their own gain."  
  
"So it's told to instill in young Hyuga the need to protect their bloodline." Shino said.  
  
"Exactly," was the Uaishi's answer, "The tale speaks of a group that worshipped what they called the _Mori no Megami_."  
  
"Forest goddess?" Kurenai asked.  
  
"Their ultimate goal was to summon this being to our plane of existence. But two things prevented this. First was that they couldn't read the ley lines."  
  
"Ley lines?" Naruto asked.  
  
"Paths of energy that surround the world. They run through the rocks and trees, through water and the soil. It is much like a Chakra circulatory system for the whole world. There are points where this energy collects in great amounts. They are often found instinctively by humans and made into holy places. The summoning of the _Mori no Megami_ requires knowledge of where a particular alignment of these ley lines within the forests can are located."  
  
"In fact," said the woman, "The reason the summoning that destroyed Morigakure failed was because a portion of the alignment was missed. That resulted in the massive disaster that caved in the tunnels the _Morinin_ used to enter and leave this village."  
  
"What's the second obstacle in the summoning?" Kiba asked.  
  
"The _Mori no Megami_ had no earthly body, like some demons. This is part of why the ley lines were needed. Members of the cult channeled their Chakra, some say even going so far as to open the Gates, at key points in order to focus the soul of the summoned demon into a vessel."  
  
"A vessel… you mean… it took over someone's body?" Naruto asked.  
  
"Correct. Placement of the vessel was absolutely vital. As such, simple knowledge alone wasn't sufficient. The vessel herself had to be able to actually see the ley lines in order to position herself properly. The _Byakugan_ allows this. That is the reason they need it."  
  
"What you're saying, then," Shino began, "Is that the _Mori no Megami_…"  
  
"Will be brought to this earth and will take the body and soul of Hinata-sama."  
  
"NO!"  
  
Everyone turned in surprise to Naruto, who was just as stunned as everyone else at his sudden outburst. Naruto couldn't help himself. From the moment they'd spoken of the demon taking over the vessel's body, his thoughts immediately went to himself and the Kyubi. From there, they went to another person in a situation much closer to the one they described.  
  
Gaara of the Desert held a monster inside his body. But this monster wasn't sealed away, like the fox. It was part of him, its power meant to be used. Just like this Forest Goddess' power was intended. And that intent had eventually left Gaara to believe that his goal was to kill anything that lived besides himself. The thought of that happening to Hinata was too much.  
  
"What…" Naruto began asking, "What'll happen to Hinata… if this thing gets her body?"  
  
Kiba and Shino looked to the adults as the man who had been speaking answered.  
  
"If what the stories say are true, then Hinata-sama's body will be completely taken by this monster. Hinata-sama herself, however… won't fare so well. The beast will devour her soul to make room for itself. It is a fate worse than death, for without her soul, Hinata-sama will simply cease to exist."

* * *

Elsewhere, Kashghyu N'ga trained herself. She had to be in perfect condition. For in only two days would the ceremonies take place. On that day, Kashghyu N'ga would receive the Nimmori people's greatest honor. Her only goal until then, was to strengthen her body and soul so that it would be worthy.  
  
She would become the goddess-made-flesh. And nothing would get in her way.

* * *

**AUTHOR' S NOTES:** I remember reading a theory about paths of energy like the ones described here. Though, to be honest, I'm not sure if "ley lines" was the right name or not. If I find the correct one, I'll edit the chapter accordingly. But until then, "ley lines" works just as well.  
  
Also, Uaishi's name is a play on the Japanese pronunciation for "white" and a Japanese word for "white" (Uaito & Shiro respectively).  
  
Finally, I personally dislike that FanfictionNet's not allowing indents anymore. Or those centered asterisks I used to use for breaks in location. I really thought they gave my stories a nice touch.  
  
But that's just my opinion. 


	10. Vow

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

_"If what the stories say are true, then Hinata-sama's body will be completely taken by this monster. Hinata-sama herself, however… won't fare so well. The beast will devour her soul to make room for itself. It is a fate worse than death, for without her soul, Hinata-sama will simply cease to exist."_  
  
With those words by Hyuga Uaishi, a silence fell among the eight Shinobi. Nobody knew how to respond to such a statement. After several minutes of quiet, Naruto got to his feet and began to walk away.  
  
"Naruto?" said Kiba.  
  
"Gotta take a leak…" Naruto explained as he disappeared behind some trees. When several minutes passed, Kurenai began to worry. She got up and went in the direction Naruto had left in. She hoped the boy hadn't gotten himself caught or injured while he was gone. She was relieved to see Naruto standing next to a tree. Her relief began to fade, though, as she noticed Naruto was standing still as a statue. She sensed no danger, but felt anger. Anger from Naruto.  
  
"Naruto…" Kurenai said quietly.  
  
"Go away." Naruto demanded.  
  
"What's wrong?" Kurenai asked.  
  
"I said go."  
  
"Naruto…" Kurenai wondered what had angered Naruto so greatly. This wasn't the usual loud-mouthed pissed-off she was used to with Kiba and knew Naruto capable of. He was genuinely upset over something. She was about to ask again when Naruto spoke up.  
  
"You wanna know what's wrong?" he said darkly, "I just figured out why I'm here. Why you _really_ brought me along."  
  
"What do you mean?" Kurenai asked, confused, "I brought you here for exactly the reason I said I did. You have a connection to Hinata."  
  
"Really?" Naruto asked, a mocking tone in his voice. His voice became serious just as quickly, "Compared to you, Kiba, and Shino, I hardly know Hinata at all! Even those four Hyuga probably know her better than I do! That _can't_ be the reason!"  
  
"But Narut-"  
  
"You brought me here because of that demon! You brought me here in case we failed!!"  
  
Kurenai was a little startled at the accusation. But now she understood what Naruto was thinking.  
  
"You think… you believe we brought you here in order to use the Kyuubi against the _Mori no Megami_."  
  
"Well, what else is there?"  
  
"Again, it's just as I told you when I recruited you."  
  
"That's bull! I told you! I don't know Hinata!"  
  
"You may not know her, but _she_ knows _you._"  
  
Naruto stared at Kurenai. Unable to fathom what she meant by that.  
  
"How can she know me… if I don't…"  
  
"You really never noticed?" Kurenai asked. When Naruto's expression only became more confused, Kurenai let out a sigh.  
  
"Naruto… how does Hinata usually act when she's around you?"  
  
"Well… she usually gets all red in the face. And, until recently, she couldn't even look me in the eye or talk to me."  
  
That's when it hit Naruto. Until recently… until the Chunin Exam… _  
  
"I don't quit… and I won't run! I won't… take back… my words. That… is my _Nindo  
  
Hinata had spoken those words… _Naruto's_ words… _  
  
"Come to think of it," Sakura had said shortly after the fight, "I think she's always been watching you."_  
  
Naruto remembered the moments prior to his fight with Hyuga Neji. _  
  
"To other people it may not seem like I changed but… I… felt like I was able to change... and it was thanks to you, Naruto-kun…"_  
  
Judging by the wide-eyed expression of realization appearing on Naruto's face, Kurenai decided that Naruto was figuring out what Kurenai was telling him.  
  
"Naruto, Hinata has looked to you as an example to follow for years. You've inspired her in a way I don't think anybody else has been able to do. Including myself." she smiled, "And I was actually trying.  
  
"The fact is we need people who are as close to Hinata as possible if we're to have any hope of breaking her free of the Nimmori's hold. The more Hinata knows that person, the better. With that in mind, you, Naruto, are our best chance at rescuing her. _That's_ why you're here. The Fox has nothing to do with it!"  
  
Naruto listened to Kurenai's words, not quite believing them, but at the same time knowing they were the truth.  
  
"Hinata… looks up… to _me_?!"  
  
Kurenai nodded.  
  
Naruto was shocked to say the least. He hadn't made much of it when Hinata had told him he helped her change. He'd just figured she meant his cheering for her and nothing else. But if she had watched him long before then… _  
  
Then she was the first… before Sasuke, before Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei… even before Iruka-sensei… Hinata was the first person to acknowledge me… to see me as something more than just some idiot screw-up… or some kind of monster…_  
  
Kurenai watched a look of determination grow on Naruto's face. His hands began to clench into fists. Without warning, his fist slammed into a nearby tree with all the might Naruto could muster. He looked Kurenai right in the eyes.  
  
"Kurenai-sensei," he said, "I promise… I'll do _everything_ in my power to bring Hinata back!"  
  
Kurenai smiled in approval.  
  
"Good. Then we'd best head back. We don't know how much time we have before this ritual takes place. We need to figure out a plan of action as soon as possible."  
  
Naruto nodded. _  
  
Hinata… if you've really believed in me like Kurenai said, then I promise, I won't let you down! I'll get you back no matter what it takes! I'll be worthy of that respect!_


	11. Plans in the Making

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

Cell Eight listened intently as Hyuga Tomoko, the one woman among the four Hyuga, told them of the ritual to summon the _Mori no Megami_. Kurenai wanted everybody clear on matters before a plan could be made.

* * *

"As you've been told, the current situation is the second known attempt to raise the _Mori no Megami_. The first occurred well over a century ago, by members of a rogue cult of ninja who worshipped the Forest Goddess and wanted to take control of Morigakure. But they made critical mistakes in the summoning.  
  
"The ritual to summon the _Mori no Megami_ is an extremely intricate process. It requires the use of the chakra ley lines found throughout this forest. According to the our clan's research into this ceremony, members of the tribe go to specific points along the ley lines and focus as much Chakra as possible into them. To do that, they open the third of the body gates, the Forest Gate.  
  
"The focused Chakra is forced into the ley lines and, from there, flows in a predetermined direction, not unlike water in a pipe, towards a specific area. The Nimmori in that area will focus the enormous, flowing Chakra to create a focal point. This is the place that the _Mori no Megami_ will take over its vessel. Where it intends to consume the very essence of Hinata-sama.  
  
"That is the most difficult part of the ceremony. Such a large amount of chakra forced into one point is highly unstable. The beacon it provides moves repeatedly. No great distance, just the barest of millimeters in various directions. This means the exact placing the vessel exactly is an extremely difficult task. To achieve it, a vessel has to be able to see the ley lines and the chakra flowing through them with their own eyes and move accordingly. The only known way this is possible was through the power of the _Byakugan_, the _Kekkei Genkai_ of the Hyuga clan.

* * *

"And this time, they aren't likely to repeat the same mistakes made in the previous attempt." she said as she finished.  
  
"You're right." Kurenai replied, "Chances are, they've been working for over a hundred years for this moment. They've had plenty of time to learn the ley lines and likely know where to channel their chakra and how much they need to use. Also, they have a very willing and able vessel in Hinata."  
  
"Willing?" Kiba sneered, "They've got her hypnotized."  
  
"True." Kurenai said, "Which makes things especially difficult. Were it simply a matter of their forcing Hinata to do this, we could rescue her and prevent the rituals that way. But as it is…"  
  
"Then we gotta make her wake up somehow!" Kiba said.  
  
"Easier said than done." Kurenai told her student, "Do you remember what I taught you about the basic tenets of hypnosis?"  
  
"Um…" Kiba stammered. He _should_ remember, Kurenai's specialty was Genjutsu, so her lectures on it were often the most thorough.  
  
"Any Genjutsu which utilizes hypnosis to affect another's behavior," Shino began, "is completely ineffective against an individual who has absolutely no desire to perform whatever actions or behavior the hypnosis is trying to force upon them."  
  
"Yeah, that." Kiba said.  
  
"So, wait… you can't hypnotize someone unless they want to be hypnotized?" Naruto asked. That sounded rather pointless.  
  
"Not exactly." Kurenai told him, "Hypnosis can make anybody do almost anything. But only if that person, even subconsciously, has the inclination to do so."  
  
Naruto looked like he still didn't get it.  
  
"To use an example, let's say I wanted to hypnotize Kiba here into believing he was a cat."  
  
"Hey!" Kiba said, looking insulted, Akamaru let out a bark as well.  
  
"Consider this punishment for forgetting my lessons." Kurenai said with a smirk. Despite the seriousness of their current mission, the four Hyuga managed to chuckle as well. Kurenai turned to Naruto, "Now, from what you just saw, you might think I couldn't possibly hypnotize Kiba like I just described. Right?"  
  
Naruto nodded. Made sense enough so far.  
  
"However, if Kiba has ever, even once, wondered about cats, then it's possible for an attempt at hypnosis to work. That's because the inclination is there, even if Kiba himself isn't fully aware of it."  
  
"So…" Naruto said hesitantly, "You can only make someone do something they want to already, even if they don't know they wanna do it?"  
  
"Yes. Also, the stronger the desire, the harder it is to break the hypnosis by force. _That_ is where our problem lies in regards to Hinata."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Hinata's goal, for some time now, has been to change how she sees herself and grow stronger." Shino answered.  
  
"Exactly. Hinata's essentially been given her dream come true in the creation of Kashghyu N'ga. This is, more or less, what she's strived for, and it's just been handed to her on a silver platter. These people acknowledge her. Right now practically worship her. Soon, in fact, they really will worship her."  
  
"You're right." said Riisen, the oldest among the four Hyuga, "We can not, as a result, count on breaking the thrall she is under until _after_ we have rescued her."  
  
"Which means this will be more of a kidnapping than a rescue." replied Kiba.  
  
"A kidnapping of someone who will certainly be heavily guarded, is skilled in combat, will almost certainly not go down without a fight, and whose exact whereabouts we do not know." Riisen said.  
  
"Wonderful…" Kiba lamented.  
  
"Our best chance, then…" Kurenai began, "Would be to grab Hinata during the ceremony to summon the _Mori no Megami_."  
  
"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, "Isn't that cutting it just a _little_ too close?!"  
  
"I said it's our _best_ chance." Kurenai replied, "It's not our only one. Kiba, does Akamaru remember where in the Nimmori village he was kept? If he was close to Hinata then that might be where we can find her."  
  
Kiba listened as the pup barked a response to Kurenai's query, nodding occasionally as he did so.  
  
"Akamaru says he doesn't remember the place well enough that he could take us there by memory. But he does know the general area and can find Hinata's scent from there if she's close enough."  
  
"That will have to do." Kurenai said. She considered what everyone had said and began to plan.  
  
"Riisen-san." Kurenai said, the man nodded to acknowledge, "Would there any significant different between the point this ritual will take place and any other gathering of these ley lines?"  
  
"It will likely be the largest gathering of the lines. The area will be reasonably large. Also, if these Nimmori are as reverent towards it as you've suggested, it would be some place special to them. Meaning its location will be marked to distinguish it from any other such locations."  
  
"Good." Kurenai said, "That means it will be possible to find it. Kiba, you, Naruto, and I will go into the village as soon as things there appear settled. Akamaru will help us to find Hinata and we'll try and get her back from there. If that isn't possible though, we'll need to be prepared to attack the ritual. To that end, Riisen-san, I want you to take Shino with you and begin searching for this point. Your _Byakugan_ can search the leylines and Shino's insects will likely be able to give him possible locations for the focal point's location. Together, you should be able to find it."  
  
Shino and the Hyuga nodded acknowledgement of the Jonin's orders. Kurenai turned to the other three Hyuga present.  
  
"You three, I need you to also search the ley lines. Your objective will be to locate the points from which Nimmori will be pouring their chakra into the ley system."  
  
"Kurenai-san," Uaishi said, raising his hand, "Wouldn't we be put to better use helping Riisen-san and Shino-kun locate ritual's location?"  
  
"No. In the event that my group cannot save Hinata, and that we either cannot locate the place of the ceremony or fail even if we do, I will need you to know these points, and kill the Nimmori who will be pouring their Chakra into the lines."  
  
"What?!" replied the fourth Hyuga, a kid barely older Kurenai's students who had remained silent up to this point, "But the last ceremony failed because…" his mouth suddenly formed an O as realization sunk in. Kurenai confirmed the boy's thoughts.  
  
"The _Mori no Megami_ is a serious threat. In the event that we can not stop it's summoning at the focal point, it can not be allowed onto this plain. If all else fails, we will create another disaster like the one that destroyed Morigakure long ago. This place will be buried again, the _Mori no Megami_ will be stopped."  
  
What Kurenai didn't say, what she didn't have to, was that if this course of action was followed, all eight of the Shinobi there would surely perish.  
  
As would Hinata.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** I want to apologize for taking so freaking long to update this. I hope putting up two chapters at once can help make up for the wait. I'd like to have some good reason ready. But, truth be told, it's plain ol' procrastination stopping me. I know _what_ I want to do, it's just actually getting htere that's being a major pain in my at-double-dollar-signs.

I promise to try and get the lead out. My other fic-in-progress, _Nest Egg _(One Piece), is comlpete so I can focus on this and this alone. I'll try and get through it as soon as possible.


	12. Another Shot

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

The process of sharing information and planning had provided ample time for the eight Shinobi of the Hidden Leaves to rest. As a result, they enacted their plan immediately.  
  
Three of the Hyuga branch family that had joined them went off. Uaishi, Tomoko, and the youngest among them, Kodomairu, would explore the outskirts of the Nimmori village, examining the ley line patters in the hopes of discovering the critical points that would be most needed in the coming ceremony. Should all else fail, they would also be in charge of dispatching the Nimmori located in these specific points, causing the ceremony to backfire and recreating the very disaster that occurred the last time this ritual was attempted.  
  
Since he had been in the Nimmori village once already, Shino would join Hyuga Riisen in infiltrating it. It was Kurenai's speculation that the most important location for the ritual, the focal point of all the Chakra that would be forced into the ley lines, would be located within the village itself. Riisen and Shino would examine the village as a whole, looking for especially revered or unusually marked places. Shino had mentioned a possible place for a starting point, so they would head there first.  
  
Kurenai, Naruto, Kiba, and Akamaru would also infiltrate the Nimmori village. However, they had a far different target. Rather than places, they were after a person. The girl they had come here for, Hyuga Hinata. According to Kiba's translation of Akamaru's report, Akamaru had actually been kept in Hinata's sleeping quarters. This offered their best chance to finish everything quickly. Working from a combination of memory and tracking scent, Akamaru was gradually leading them to the tree-bound hut that Hinata was currently residing in.  
  
Theirs was easily the most difficult, most dangerous, and most potentially rewarding part of the plan. Where Shino and the Hyuga had only to infiltrate and not be seen while exploring themselves, Kurenai, Kiba, and Naruto would surely end up making their presence known. If they located Hinata, there would be no way around it. Even on the off-chance that they wouldn't have to fight bodyguards protecting the girl, actually securing Hinata would cause a major problem. She would definitely fight them given the chance, and she was far more dangerous as Kashghyu N'ga than she was as Hyuga Hinata. Kurenai made a point of making this clear to the two Genin under her command.  
  
"If Hinata has ever had a real weakness," Kurenai told them, "it's that she lacks the confidence essential to being able to fight with all her strength. From what I've observed, that will not be an issue so long as she is Kashghyu N'ga."  
  
The two Genin, and even the dog, gave a nod in response. As "She of the Ghostly Eyes" Hinata was confident to the point of being full of herself. Combine that with the facts that she inexplicably retained the battle skills she learned both as a Genin of Konoha and as heir to the Hyuga family and that she currently saw the three ninja and dog as her enemies, she would be a very dangerous person to deal with.  
  
The Nimmori village was built within the trees of the forest themselves. The huts were built around the trees. On the inside, as the ninja learned by looking through windows as the moved, they were circular one-room structures with the tree they were built into serving as a central pillar. The huts were connected by a series of bridges and ladders. However many Nimmori, particularly the younger fighters, would move by channeling Chakra to their feet and hands in order to stick to the trees and to enable them to jump from tree to tree. The bridges and ladders were used primarily by those too old or too young to have such control.  
  
The Shinobi traveled by clinging to the trees with Chakra as well. Using the arts of Transformation and Camouflage, the four maintained near invisibility and had yet to be spotted. Part of the reason for that, Kurenai thought, was that the Nimmori seemed to have most basic skills down, but the finer points of Ninjutsu seemed lost to them. This caused them to fail to notice the various jutsu being used by the Konoha-nin. Giving the infiltrators a much easier time moving. They also kept low to the ground for the most part, as most of the Nimmori preferred going as high as they could.  
  
With a yelp from Akamaru, the four Shinobi stopped. The climbed up higher and hid in the shadows underneath a hut placed high in a tree. Kiba informed Kurenai and Naruto that the Hinata's hut was close by.  
  
"We should be able to see it from here."  
  
Indeed, Akamaru and Kiba found the hut in question. They had a clear view through a window, giving them a glimpse of the room inside. Hinata sat cross-legged on the floor, obviously deep in meditation. Among the details Kurenai began to notice, the first and foremost was the symbol on Hinata's forehead. The times she had seen her so far, the girl had been decked out in various face and body paints. However, the only thing covering her skin now was her clothing, the animal skin short pants and sleeveless vest preferred by many of the Nimmori youth they had seen since first entering the forest. The only marking on Hinata's body was that symbol that greatly resembled a tree. A symbol Kurenai had been told was once the sign of the Mori-nin. The one worn on their Hitai-ate just as the Konoha-nin wore the sign of the leaf.  
  
For Kurenai, this begged the obvious question. _Why, if she removed all of her other paints, is that one left on?_  
  
Kurenai considered this. She had seen this sign on some of the other Nimmori while they were in captivity and while they were infiltrating the village. Most of the people who bore it were young adults, roughly Kurenai's age or slightly older. Hinata was the youngest person she'd seen bearing the symbol. _  
  
A sign of seniority? Something denied younger people until they've grown up?_ Possible. If that were the case, Hinata, as the _Mori no Megami's_ future vessel, would be an obvious exception to the rule. But not all of the people in the older age group held it.  
  
"That tree symbol on Hinata's head." Kurenai whispered to the boys, "You've seen others with it?"  
  
The two boys nodded.  
  
"I have the feeling it's important." Kurenai said.  
  
"Yeah…" Kiba agreed, "We haven't seen that many people with it. And every one of them was older than Hinata."  
  
"Maybe it's a sign of adulthood, like the Hitai-ate?" Naruto ventured.  
  
"My first thought as well." Kurenai replied, "But I don't think so. First of all, too few have it."  
  
"Maybe it's a sign of super elite fighters, like Jonin?" Naruto queried.  
  
"If that were the case, why is it that none of those with the sign were among those we've fought so far? They would be the obvious choice when it came to collecting and protecting their precious vessel. Plus, some of those we've seen with it were average people, not counted among the fighters we've seen so far. In fact I don't think any of them w - ah… I see!"  
  
The two Genin looked at the sensei confused.  
  
"That mark is a sign that they _aren't_ from this village!"  
  
Kiba's eyes widened as realization hit him.  
  
"I get it." Kiba said, "It's some kind of seal or tattoo, and only people brought in from outside the village have it."  
  
"The ones they've hypnotized!" Naruto said, beginning to understand himself.  
  
"Exactly!" Kurenai said, "Which means it could very well be the key to the Genjustu placed on Hinata."  
  
If nothing else came of this venture, they now had some very useful knowledge. Those who had been recaptured from the Nimmori had needed extensive therapy and the support of close family and friends to break the hold of the Genjutsu. If the seal had been present then, its significance was likely missed. Perhaps assumed to be a sign of Nimmori adulthood, as Kurenai initially believed. Knowing it to be a curse seal meant that there might be another way, a way to free not only Hinata, but all the imported Nimmori.  
  
But for now, Hinata was their priority.  
  
"Well, what're we waiting for?!" Naruto asked impatiently.  
  
"Look." Kurenai said, indicating the door of the hut. Outside of the huts was a small circular platform for people to stand on. Outside the door to this hut, on just such a platform, stood two Nimmori. They were older, and were clearly strong. They were just as clearly guarding Hinata's home from invasion.  
  
"Our chance will come when Hinata ends her meditation. Chances are, she will begin to see to other matters, in the process moving around the room and moving objects within it. That will create a small bit of noise that can cover our own entry and, if we do it correctly, we can incapacitate Hinata and possibly even escape with her before anybody notices something is wrong."  
  
_Though I wouldn't count on it, personally._ Kurenai thought to herself.  
  
Slowly, but surely, they Shinobi made their way to the hut Hinata was in. Kurenai knew they need to be very careful. If Hinata caught wind of something wrong, she would activate her _Byakugan_ and there would be no more use in hiding.  
  
Their caution proved useless, however, when a man leaped at them from out of nowhere. He attacked Kurenai who, unable to dodge, was sent plummeting into a platform by a well placed kick to the head.  
  
"Sensei!!!" Kiba yelled as he and Naruto landed from their jumps. The two didn't have time to worry about her though. As they looked around, they saw a small force of Nimmori fighters around them.

* * *

Da Iri'ga landed from his leap on a platform near the one the shee'nobie woman had fallen to. His kick had clearly done some damage, as she was slow getting up. But rise she did, her eyes fixed on her attacker. She had sustained some damage, Da Iri'ga noticed some bleeding from her forehead among other scratches. Iri'ga didn't know just what skills this woman had, but he did know he was among the best fighters of his tribe.

_Time and again, this woman has attempted to reclaim you, Kashghyu N'ga._ Da Iri'ga thought to himself, _And I swear, my daughter, she will fail once again!_


	13. Yuhi Kurenai vs Da Iri'ga

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES  
_**BY  
sgamer82

Kashghyu N'ga had just finished meditation when she was startled by a loud crash outside. Running to her window, she saw three of the foreign ninja on the verge of attack by other Nimmori. The woman who led them was facing off with Da Iri'ga, while two of the boys, the blond and the dog master, were surrounded by various youths. Most of those fighting the boys were too young and inexperienced. Instinct (she refused to call it memory) told her that the two could overwhelm them if a fight dragged on. Da Iri'ga was safe, he was well trained and among the most powerful of the Nimmori, but the younger fighters would need assistance for certain.

Still, she had, in the days since her arrival, learned something of her father's style of battle. She would concentrate on the two boys, but she would still lend some assistance to his fight as well. She brought up her hands to her chest and made a series of signs. She could feel her Life's Flame flare up and flow into her hands. She held her palm out and pushed it forward. An orb of wind flew from her hand and towards the two combatants.

That done, she leapt from her window to the other battle.

* * *

Kurenai picked herself up off the hut platform she'd landed on. She'd been caught completely by surprise by that attack. Whoever had done it knew what they were doing. She knew she'd taken a hard hit and would be getting a nasty bruise. Though that was currently the least of her worries. Her assailant had made his way to a ledge near her own. An easy leap would bring him right to her, or her to him. He would undoubtedly notice she was hurt and press on his offensive. She grabbed a kunai out of a pouch at her hip and braced herself.

The man, who seemed a good deal older than Kurenai herself, but still as spry as a young buck, had brown eyes and shoulder length black hair. He wore animal skin trousers that went down to his knees and, rather than the young fighters' vests, a sleeveless jacket that went down to his thighs. He had not put on any body paint, revealing tanned skin indicative of plenty of time outdoors.

He was just about to make the leap Kurenai was expecting when she suddenly sensed a bundle of chakra. Looking up, she saw a ball of air fly past the combatants' heads and into the tree canopy above them. It gave a small explosion, sending leaves flying off of their branches and falling down between Kurenai and her foe.

Kurenai recognized the technique. Kazetama no Jutsu, the Wind Ball. Usually kept smaller than what she had just seen, it was handy as a distraction technique, to focus an enemy's attention elsewhere. With that thought Kurenai suddenly glanced back at her enemy. He had an odd smile on his face as he suddenly began using his hands for signs. Kurenai didn't recognize the sequence of signs, so she braced herself for whatever unknown technique was coming her way.

Had she not refocused on the man in front of her, she have missed the momentary glow that began to emit from the leaves falling before her. She acted just fractions of a second before the leaves began to inexplicably fly right at her.

* * *

The technique, known in olden times as the _Konoha no Shuriken no Jutsu_, was one of Da Iri'ga's best techniques. It required very precise control of the Life's Flame, but it also required very minimal amounts of it. This meant it could be used continuously without exhausting the user, even if that user had a very weak Flame within them.

It took the power of the Flame and focused it into falling leaves. It would send those leaves flying at the foe with enough speed to cut skin. Its old name came from how the leaves would fly similar to the old weapons known as Shuriken. As such things were rare among the Nimmori, the Konoha no Shuriken became a popular technique among some. It wasn't useful as a killing technique, as the weapons could only create shallow cuts. However, Da Iri'ga knew the value of inflicting small injuries as well as mortal blows. Small injuries added up, weakening the other person as the fight wore on.

Da Iri'ga watched as his new weapons flew at his foe, the _shee'nobie_ woman seemed surprised. He was impressed, though, that her surprise didn't prevent her from acting. As the "shuriken" struck their mark, a puff of smoke appeared, when it cleared, he saw the woman had vanished and many of the leaves used in the attack were stuck in a long board. Looking to the side he saw a board quickly pried loose from the platform the woman was standing on.

Instinct suddenly told him to move. He jumped back, just as the woman came down from above him, missing the jump kick she had intended to send to his head. She rushed him, flattening her right hand for a chop to the neck. He prepared to block the blow with his wrist, only to have the woman's hand go through his body. A sharp pain suddenly hit him as he felt something pierce the back of his left shoulder.

* * *

Kurenai managed to evade those flying leaves with the Kawarimi no Jutsu. She quickly made her way into the trees. She used the Bunshin no Jutsu, and sent an illusionary body down to engage the man. Unaware that the woman before him wasn't real, he attempted to block the attack. As he focused on that attack, Kurenai managed to get behind him and throw the kunai she had taken out into his left shoulder.

He reacted quickly, getting out of the way of another potential assault by leaping to the platform Kurenai had started out on. Rather than come down and show herself while he was being careful, she used her chakra to plant her feet on the nearest tree, hidden within the branches and foliage.

Kurenai understood this would be no easy fight to win. Her enemy was clearly both experienced and skilled. She could only imagine the control required for that leaf technique he used. She wondered idly where the Kazetama had come from, but for now it could wait. She looked quickly to see Kiba and Naruto, handling themselves well against a group of Nimmori.

They were fighting an estimated half dozen. But they managed to hold the advantage despite numbers. These fighters, four boys and two girls, seemed to be just below the level of fighters Kurenai had seen with Hinata earlier. And well below her current enemy.

Speaking of, the man had managed to move out of sight and hide himself. Kurenai briefly cursed herself for letting her attention wander, but it was unavoidable so long as she was concerned for her charges. Now that she knew their situation, and that they were capable of handling it. She could concentrate fully on her fight.

The two combatants remained hidden. Kurenai remained still, though she could tell her opponent was moving around the branches, seeking her out. He was far more accustomed to battling in this environment than Kurenai, to move recklessly would be suicide.

The choice was soon taken out of her hands, as the man appeared beside her. Kurenai immediately jumped away from the tree she was on, towards another one she could attach to in preparation for a counter attack. The man jumped with her. Kurenai turned around in mid-air to face her attacker, who flew above her in his leap. She opened another pouch she had and sent three shuriken into her foe. The embedded themselves in the man's stomach, chest, and head.

Knowing it was too easy a hit, she wasn't at all shocked to see the puff of smoke that accompanied her mortal blow, indicating she'd just dispatched a Bunshin. She was, however, surprised to see what came out of the smoke.

Leaves. Her enemy had used Bunshin made out of leaves.

Kurenai knew exactly what was about to occur. She also knew she had no way to dodge them in mid-air and nothing close by to use with Kawarimi. She put her hands into fists, pressed together the insides of her wrists and covered her face with her fisted hands, covering the more vulnerable areas of her body. With a glimmer of chakra, the leaves (scattering with the dispelling of the Bunshin) flew right at Kurenai.

The leaves Kurenai's body along her torso and legs. Leaving slight scratches all over her body and leaving bloody slits in various spots along the dress she wore. She'd managed to protect her face, neck, and wrists, where even the shallow cuts of the leaves could be potentially debilitating or fatal. However, she was just recovering from that attack when the man, for real this time, leapt down from some hiding place above her and planted a punch right into her unguarded stomach.

The attack sent Kurenai falling through the roof of a hut with great force.

* * *

"Juujuin Bunshin no Jutsu!" Kiba cried. With a cloud of smoke, Akamaru transformed into a double of his master.

"Kage-Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto cried. With clouds of smoke, three more Naruto appeared to join in the fray.

The numbers now even, the Shinobi duo had little trouble dealing with the enemies before them. Though both knew they had to finish this quick and move, or else they would be overwhelmed by greater numbers of, more than likely, stronger warriors.

As they managed to knock down the last of their antagonists, a cry broke through the noise of battle. From above them, a figure dropped from the trees and landed gracefully on a bridge connecting two of the tress.

The two Konoha Genin and dog, each firmly planted on the sides of closely placed trees, stared as Hyuga Hinata gave those by her commands in the Nimmori tongue. Whatever it was she'd ordered of them, they were now moving away from Naruto, Kiba, and Akamaru.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked, "Are they giving up?"

"Looks that way…" Kiba said as he watched the scene before them.

"Does that mean we win? They're letting us have Hinata?"

"No. In fact, you've got it backwards. They aren't letting us have her, they're letting _her_ have _us_!"

Akamaru woofed in agreement.

"What?!" Naruto asked.

Kiba was right though. Naruto saw Hinata look at the two, a wicked smile on her face. She really intended to fight the three of them single-handedly.

As he looked at the girl, Naruto thought of the previous night. Kurenai's words sticking in his mind.

_"Hinata has looked to you as an example to follow for years. You've inspired her in a way I don't think anybody else has been able to do."_

"…you, Naruto, are our best chance at rescuing her. That's_ why you're here."_

Ignoring Kiba's surprised shout, Naruto leapt off his post and jumped to the bridge.


	14. Naruto & Kiba vs Kashghyu N'Ga

_**NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES  
**_By  
Sgamer82

_"If Hinata has ever had a real weakness, it's that she lacks the confidence essential to being able to fight with all her strength. From what I've observed, that will not be an issue so long as she is Kashghyu N'ga."_

His sensei's words rang in his mind as he watched Naruto jump down to engage Hinata. Kiba knew the truth to Kurenai's words. He wasn't sure if Naruto would be able to win if he tried to fight. He had defeated Hyuga Neji, sure. But he was fighting with everything he had, then. Here, he'd almost surely be holding back against an enemy who was out to kill him.

Kiba looked to Akamaru. As was often the case, they had the same thoughts in their mind. Should they remain where they were, or should they aid Naruto. Reluctantly, Kiba gave Akamaru a hand sign telling him to stay where he was. They didn't know just what Hinata had told her comrades, who now sat a safe distance, eagerly anticipating the show. Rather than risk getting cornered, Kiba wanted to be able to jump into action in the event they decided to get involved. He also wanted to be ready in case Naruto needed to be pulled out. Not entirely out of the question, given the circumstances.

So, resisting the temptation to go in, Kiba sat and waited. Chakra in his hands and feet holding him to the tree trunk he crouched sideways on.

----------

Naruto jumped down onto the bridge where Hinata waited. He landed with none of Hinata's grace, causing the bridge to sway and shake. Though neither ninja had any difficulty maintaining their balance.

Naruto couldn't help but spare a glance below. The trees in the Nimmori valley were unusually large. They had to be, to support the huts and bridge and ladder system the Nimmori used for their shelters. They were currently an easy fifteen feet above ground level on a bridge connecting two huts. There were no ropes or rails on the bridge to hang on to. Staying on was strictly a matter of balance. Along with this, trees surrounded them in every direction, easy leaping distance for either person. Both combatants-to-be knew this could likely become an aerial battle if it dragged on.

Naruto considered his options. Naruto himself was well-armed, he always carried plenty of shuriken and had some kunai as well. But he was at a serious disadvantage because he couldn't use his weapons for serious attacks. This would likely become a fist fight. Hinata was unarmed, coming out in too much of a rush to grab even one of the spears the Nimmori favored. However, she still had the Byakugan, as well as the knowledge of her clan's fighting style and techniques. A style that, Naruto knew firsthand, highly favored close combat.

_And I'm not about to use the Fox against Hinata… _Naruto thought to himself. He began to sweat a bit. This was not going to be easy…

Hinata's forehead veins bulged with her _Byakugan's_ activation. With a cocky smirk, she launched the first attack. She ran full speed at Naruto. Naruto immediately brought up his hands to defend. Moments before coming within reach of Naruto, Hinata did a small hop and slammed her feet against an edge of the bridge. The sudden rock of the bridge threw off Naruto's balance. He immediately focuses his chakra to maintain his footing. Hinata had already been doing so when she jumped, allowing her to continue her run without breaking stride. Naruto, so focused on not falling, almost didn't see her coming.

As soon as he saw her, he gave up staying on the bridge and leapt with everything he had to the first tree he saw. Unfortunately, this was precisely what Hinata was counting on. Less than a second after Naruto jumped, so did Hinata. Naruto was barely airborne when Hinata appeared before him. With an open palm, she hit him hard in the chest, sending him to the ground below. Hinata wasn't finished yet though. She brought her hands together and began weaving signs.

"Nemakabishi no Jutsu!" she cried out.

Directly below Naruto, in the area Hinata expected him to land, odd points began digging themselves from the earth. The Nemakabishi no Jutsu was calling upon the great trees' roots and making them caltrops that would almost certainly impale any part of Naruto that hit them.

Or they would have, had Kiba, unable to stay on the sidelines any longer, had not jumped down and caught Naruto. Kiba landed just outside the radius of the tree root caltrops, Naruto in his arms. The blond boy got to his feet as quickly as he could.

"Thanks…" Naruto said.

"Anytime." Kiba replied, "What were you thinking! Taking her head on. You, of all people, should know better than that. Did you completely forget your fight with Neji?"

"Fight with Neji…?" Naruto said quietly. A smirk began to grow on his face. The root caltrops receded back into the forest soil as Hinata leapt down to her opponents' level. She watched them, poised for combat, waiting for a move to be made.

"Kiba, you just gave me a great idea." Naruto told his companion, "Stay back for a little longer. If this works, Hinata'll leave herself wide open. You may have a shot to knock her out or something."

"This idea must be something, then. She seems pretty focused."

"Yeah…" Naruto agreed. "Well, here goes."

Naruto brought his fingers together in a plus pattern.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!_"

Several Narutos appeared behind the real deal. They charged Hinata en masse. With a chuckle, Hinata charged into battle. Her Byakugan made it easy for her to see each and every one of her opponents. She kept them at bay easily enough. Kiba watched as the fight stayed fairly even for a while. Soon, though, Hinata stopped, turned towards one of the Narutos she fought, and charged at it. Upon reaching it, she planted her index and middle fingers into a point on Naruto's right shoulder.

"Fool…" Hinata said, as the other bunshin began to poof out of existence, "You really think I wouldn't notice one keeping away from the fighting?" She then got a very alarmed look on her face.

It was in that moment that Kiba understood Naruto's plan.

I gotta admit, it's a good one… Though he'll_ never hear me say it._

----------

**__**

MOVE!

Every nerve in Kashghyu N'ga's screamed at her to get away as soon as she could. She quickly extracted her fingers from her foe and leapt backwards away from him. As she watched, the double she had just attacked disappeared in a cloud of smoke. She understood immediately. The double before her had been a decoy. Through her Ghostly Eyes, she saw the real Naruto and another double land from above where she had been standing moments ago. If she hadn't moved, they would have had a clear attack on her. The boy, though, didn't seem bothered by his failed strike. In fact, he was smiling.

"Not bad, Hinata. You got a pretty good memory there!" he told her.

No… it couldn't be a memory! It was instinct! Instinct! Her battle readiness faltered for a moment.

"You saw me use that exact same trick once!" the boy told her, "Against your cousin, Neji! That's how you knew to dodge, wasn't it!"

"NO!" she cried. Her anger overwhelmed her for an instant. In that moment, she jumped at Naruto and kicked him in the chest. As he went down, Kashghyu crouched on his body to keep him pinned down. She reached into the pouch where he kept his weapons and pulled out a metal blade and held it over him.

"I saw no such thing!" she yelled out, "I am Kashghyu N'ga! Of the Blessed Line of the Nimmori! In a day's time I will become the goddess-made-flesh! My people will be a great power once more!"

The kunai in her hands was unsteady with her shaking hands.

"They already are!" Naruto told her, his breath coming hard with her kneeling on his chest, "You are Hyuga Hinata! Of the Hyuga clan of Konohagakure!"

The kunai in Kashghyu N'ga's hands stopped shaking. She brought it up over her head.

"I. Am. NOT!"

Before she could bring the blade down she was suddenly blindsided by an attack from Kiba. She flew off of Naruto's chest and into a tree. She lay there, unmoving. Unconscious.

"Cutting it a little close, aren't ya, butt-sniffer?" Naruto asked in irritation.

"Hmph, moron. Her Byakugan would've caught me if I didn't do it just right. I needed her attention focused on one thing and one thing only. Oh, thanks for doing that."

He held out a hand and helped Naruto to his feet. However, they had only moments to catch their breath. Before they could move to claim Hinata and get the hell out of there, Akamaru, still in the trees in Kiba's form, jumped down to the ground and began barking wildly. Looking up, the two Genin understood why. Their fight with Hinata had attracted a lot of attention. Several Nimmori, both warrior and civilian, stood looking down at them from the various platforms and huts.

And none of them were very happy at seeing their champion lose.

"Not good…" Kiba muttered.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: **You know, I'm a bit disappointed in myself. I wanted to get more use out of Kiba in all this but I haven't been able to fit anything in with him. If nothing else, I thought some humor in the story would revolve around banter between him and Naruto. Like in this chapter, Naruto'd call him a 'butt-sniffer' or something. Kiba would call him a moron. They'd have a thing. Also, I made up a few techniques for these two chapters. I wanted to create some wood element ninjutsu. Since that is what the Nimmori, being Forest Ninja, specialize in. I also have one non-wood jutsu that suited my purposes. 

**MADE-UP JUTSU  
Kazetama no Jutsu - **Kaze is wind, Tama means ball. As described in-text, it's merely a ball fo chakra fused wind, often used to create a distraction, such as the rustling of leaves.  
**Konoha no Shuriken no Jutsu** - Shuriken of Fallen Leaves Technique - Using minimal amounts of chakra but requires great control. It turns the smallest leaf into a projectile weapon. The cuts it creates aren't very deep, but enough of them can still be debilitating.  
**Habunshin no Jutsu - **Leaf Doubles - Dobules made out of leaves. As shown in teh story, it's a pefect technique to combo with the Konoha no Shuriken.  
**Nemakabishi no Jutsu** - Root Caltrop Technique - Calls up the roots of nearby trees to act as spikes to imaple the feet of enemies, or their bodies, as Hinata tried to do to Naruto.

Basically, the idea behind the Nimmori ninjutsu used here is that, as they don't have the resources to make and maintain metal weapons, like shuriken and kunai, they've developed/mastered techniques that use the nature around them as substitutes.

By the way, did I get the name of Kiba's Jujuin Bunshin technique correct.


	15. The Final Day Approaches

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

Yuhi Kurenai picked herself out of the rubble of the roof of the treehouse she had been sent crashing into. Aside from a pain in her stomach and several splinters on her exposed skin, she wasn't seriously injured. There were two Nimmori in the room she stood in. Both were huddled against a wall, afraid. One of them a child and the other, Kurenai noted, a young woman with one of those tree symbols on her head.

She didn't have time to think much about them, however. Her enemy would be coming after her soon. She needed to get into the open before he potentially trapped her here. She ran out of the hut's door, activating the Bunshin no Jutsu as she did so. The moment her body passed the door's threshold, she suddenly split into five Kurenais, only one of which was real. The five Kuno'ichi made a leap off of the balcony in different directions

Kurenai's foe was not so easily fooled, however. His leaf shuriken made his way towards the divided enemies. Passing through and dispelling four as the fifth, the real Kurenai, dodged them. She braced herself, fully anticipating another strike from the man. She was not disappointed. The man came at her, waiting from above the home she'd emerged from. He leapt from the tree he had attached to, a spear at the ready for his foe. This time, Kurenai would not be caught off guard.

She landed on a wooden platform and leapt again, throwing a single shuriken as she did so. The enemy, still in mid-air himself, just barely moved his body enough to dodge. The fact that he'd gone out of his way to dodge rather than take the blade convinced Kurenai she was looking at the man himself, not another of those leaf bunshin. That confirmation made, she signed to herself.

She performed a genjutsu on the man, making him believe he was suddenly being bombarded from all direction by deadly weapons. Kurenai watched as he lost his balance and missed his landing on the tree branch he had been aiming for. He instead crashed onto a bridge between huts. Kurenai wasted no time in making her way to that very spot.

As he got to his feet, she pulled out a kunai and shoved it as hard as she could into the side of the man's belly. She had aimed for vital organs, but he had regained just enough of his senses to dodge. Barely.

Fortunately, he fell from the bridge and down the ground below. Whether or not he was dead Kurenai did not know, nor did she have any need or desire to find out. He was out of commission and out of her way, that was all she wanted. With him dealt with, she could get back to her students, who were hopefully all right.

----------

Kashghyu N'ga regained consciousness and picked herself up from the dirt. She staggered to her feet and saw that the two Fire _shee'nobie_ had become distracted by other Nimmori who had been watching their battle. Doubtless they were none too pleased to see Kash'ghyu fall as she did. She wasn't too happy about it herself. She knew her brethren would swoop down to her aid before long. However, Kash'ghyu did not wish that. She would avenge herself.

"Hey!" she called out. The two boys turned around to look, only to be bombarded the moment they faced Kashghyu. The moment they turned, she charged them and planted a flat-palmed hit right into the pits of their stomachs. Right into the strongest part of the Life's Flame. It would stun them for several moments, while their Flame was briefly weakened.

She leaned herself forward, using her outstretched palms to perform a handstand. She bent her legs and kicked outward, hitting each _shee'nobie_ in the jaw. The two were sent flying in separate directions. Kashghyu N'ga quickly judged as she descended from her handstand which of the two to pursue before they regained their senses. The blond, with his double ability, was the more dangerous of the two.

The moment her feet made contact with the ground, Kashghyu ran to the blond, prepared for the finishing blow. Before she could reach him, however, she caught sight via her eyes of another attacker coming at her from the right side and above. At first she thought it was the other boy, but she immediately recognized the transformed Chakra of his dog.

She came to an immediate halt and kicked out her right leg. The big toe of her bare right foot hit the altered animal just below the left shoulder. That toe hit a point disrupting Chakra flow and dispelling the transformation, rendering the beast a mere puppy once more. Kashghyu pulled her foot back, then performed a roundhouse kick that sent the dog to the ground hard.

As she watched the canine fall, her eyes alerted her to movement behind her. She saw the blond getting up, recovering from his blow first. She wondered just how he could recover so quickly. Though it didn't matter. He was still fairly weakened, she could tell he wouldn't be able to evade very well. She charged, her index and middle fingers lined up to strike a finishing blow.

Before she could reach him, however, something tried to attack her yet again. This time she back flipped out of the way. When she was on her feet again, she saw a man standing before her. He wasn't one of the _shee'nobie_ who had initially entered the forest. He was someone new. He had long black hair in a style vaguely familiar to Kashghyu's mind. However, that didn't interest her. What did, were the bulging veined face and white eyes staring back at her. She scowled at the man, another of the Blessed Line.

Kashghyu's eyes showed another, the _shee'nobie_ boy who controlled insects, rousing the beaten fighters and helping them to escape. The blond complained loudly as he was practically dragged by the other two.

"Hinata!!" he cried out. She did her best to ignore the unwanted name. She focused on the man before her.

"Hinata-sama, I have no desire to fight you."

"Then, this will be easy for me…" Kashghyu quipped back.

She ran at him and attacked. Though he did not wish to fight, he did have enough sense to defend himself from attack. Not surprisingly, their styles were nearly identical. Both fought in the style of the Gentle Fist, though both also had their own individual variations and techniques added in. This one was stronger than the others, that much was clear. It was all Kashghyu N'ga could do to parry or evade the other's attacks. She managed to take back the advantage when she parried one of his open palm attacks and knocked him off-balance. Before she could utilize that new advantage, however, the older man leapt away and retreated. She was puzzled until she realized that she was the only person remaining on the battlefield.

They had run away.

She cursed herself for letting it happen. She was about to order any able-bodied fighters to join her in the chase when someone suddenly began calling her name.

"Kashghyu N'ga! Kashghyu N'ga!" a boy came. He was no warrior, far too young. There was an urgency in his shouting the girl couldn't ignore.

"It is Da Iri'ga! He has been badly injured!"

Just as this announcement was being heard by the assembled people, Kashghyu saw something above her. Looking up, she saw the _shee'nobie_ woman Yuhi Kurenai, leaping through the trees. Coming from the very direction the boy had come in. Teacher and student looked one another straight in the eyes for a brief moment as she passed directly over Kashghyu's head. A few Nimmori threw whatever weapons were handy at the woman. But she evaded them easily. For a moment Kashghyu considered chasing her, but felt compelled to see to her foster father first.

"Take me to him." She commanded of the boy.

----------

"We were so close!" Naruto whined after everyone had regrouped following the fight in the forest village. They found a quiet area to set up a tiny base camp.

"Not as close as you think." Shino replied. Naruto "hmphed" to himself. He wasn't interested in the opinion of someone who'd demand they run away.

"He's right, Naruto." Kiba said, "We had her for a moment, but those other guys never would have let us take her away without a fight."

Naruto still grumbled to himself.

"And, as we found out, that one hit didn't knock her out enough. She'd have been able to resist us as we took her. It was a lost cause."

"Don't say that!" Naruto yelled, who took the words to mean he was giving up on Hinata entirely.

"We still have time, Naruto." Kiba told him.

"How do you know?!"

"Remember when we were fighting? Hinata said that 'in a day's time I will be the goddess-made-flesh.'"

"You're sure of this?" asked Hyuga Tomoko.

"Her exact words." Kiba replied.

"Good." Kurenai said, "That means that now we know the 'when.'" she looked to the eldest Hyuga among the group, "How about the where?"

Hyuga Riisen took up the discussion.

"Aburame Shino-kun and I infiltrated the village as ordered." he began, "Shino-kun had a hunch as to this ceremony's location. The area you were all held in during your captivity."

"That huge tree stump?" Kiba asked.

"These are people of the forest." Shino said, "They live with and in the trees. We were held on what was essentially a giant tree stump. A tree stump cut unusually high over the ground."

"As though it were done intentionally." Kurenai posed.

"Exactly. These people seem to live in harmony with their surroundings. Yet it seems they destroyed a tree, or at the very least made a point of altering the remains of a fallen one."

"So you believe that to be the location?" Kurenai asked.

"We know it." Riisen said, "We explored other areas of the village. But no other area had anything close to the amount of ley lines that the stump did. I would not be surprised to learn that nearly every trail of ley lines in this valley we're in doesn't at some point cross that stump. It must be our focal point."

"How about you three?" Kurenai asked of the other Hyuga.

"We found small gatherings of lines on the outskirts of the village." Hyuga Uaishi replied, "Though it is difficult to determine at this time if they will be used in the ceremony."

"Nothing special was done with or around them." said the young Hyuga Genin, Kodomairu, "They were just there."

"That isn't good…" Kurenai said, "That means that we can't count on being able to disrupt the Chakra channeling portion of the ceremony. There's too much margin for error. If we guess incorrectly on the points, then there's no guarantee we could find another in time."

"So, what now?" Shino asked.

"We rest." Kurenai ordered, looking to Kiba and Naruto, who had been rubbing their chins raw since they left the village, "A few of us have some fighting to recover from. And we won't do any good whatsoever if we're exhausted or still nursing injuries a little rest would have taken care of. Tomorrow, all eight of us will infiltrate the Nimmori village again. We'll do so as early as possible. Early morning will give us enough cover to avoid detection. This is also necessary because we do not know the exact time of day their summoning will take place, and we can not afford to miss the right time."

Nobody had any arguments.

"We'll assign watches for the night while the others sleep." she continued. She listed who would watch and when, Naruto noticed he, Kiba, Kurenai, and the adult Hyuga were last to watch, to give them time to recover from their battles.

"We'll set out at two hours before dawn." Kurenai concluded.

Everyone set about their given tasks. Those who needed rest rested. Those meant to keep watch watched. Naruto and Kiba lay side by side on the ground near the campfire. Neither could rest much.

"Naruto…" Kiba said as he lay on his back, Akamaru sleeping on his chest, "You realize that tomorrow will be our last chance?"

"Yeah. If we don't get her back tomorrow, then Hinata… Hinata'll…" he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Despite what everyone says," Kiba continued, "I think our best shot is to try and get through to her. Otherwise, we'll have to take her down and keep her down long enough to escape. After today, I don't think we can count on that."

"Any ideas on how we get her to listen to us?" Naruto asked. Kiba was silent.

"Nope…" Kiba said sadly, the frustration clear in his voice.

"Me either." Naruto admitted, "But… I'll figure out something! I don't care what I have to do!"

"Good, we actually agree, then?" Kiba asked. Naruto mumbled a affirmative. Both eventually fell asleep, each of their minds preoccupied with finding a way to make Hinata see how she was being used.

----------

The girl known to all but her people as Hyuga Hinata sat in her room in the home she shared with her foster father. His injuries were not serious. Kashghyu N'ga had gotten him to healers immediately upon finding him, collapsed in an area where small children often played. The healers had repaired the worst of his injuries. The rest he was currently sleeping off.

There was a light knock on her door. Kashghyu answered it to see the old Ki'ge standing before her. She immediately dropped to one knee and averted her eyes.

"Rise, child." he instructed. She did so, resuming her seat on a small cushion that served as a chair.

"How is your father's health?" he asked.

"He is doing well. With rest, his wounds will heal. The healers said he should be fit for tomorrow."

"That is good news." the elderly man said, "The _shee'nobie_ will almost certainly attempt to reclaim you again before the time of the ceremony."

"I should have pursued them…" Kashghyu muttered to herself, ashamed of herself for her failures up to this point.

"But Da Iri'ga would have been lost." the Ki'ge replied, "Would you have wished that?"

"No!" she said adamantly. She cared deeply for the man who had cared for her since those first few confusing days as Kashghyu N'ga. From the moment the Purification had taken place, he had instructed her in the ways of the Nimmori. Their customs, their techniques, their beliefs.

"You chose your family and your people over your injured pride. Feel no shame for that act, child."

"Thank you, Ki'ge." she said, blush rising in her cheeks.

"Now, you must rest. You yourself have a battle to recover from."

The Ki'ge held out his hand and helped the girl to her feet. At his insistence, she lay down on her futon and, exhausted as she was, fell quickly into a deep sleep. The old man lingered a moment before leaving. His eyes fixed on the sleeping adolescent before him.

In all his years, he had never seriously expected to be able to bring forth the _Mori no Megami_ into this world. It's summoning to this plane was a dream upon a dream for the Nimmori. But then, the earthquake had brought them a new path into the outside world. That path had led them to the Fire Shadow's _shee'nobie_, and among them was the girl. The moment her presence among the enemy was reported he ordered her capture.

To actually have one of the Blessed Line among them was a sign. The Goddess was ready to be reborn, she wanted to come to this world, and brought her faithful servants this child to perform that task which. The girl was the ideal person for the task.

First and foremost, she was female. The Goddess could take any able vessel, but all the tales passed down among the Nimmori said she wished for a girl or woman to take possession of. Secondly, Kashghyu N'ga was strong. She could easily best the strongest Nimmori of her age and provide challenge to even Da Iri'ga himself. Finally, she was especially susceptible to the rites of Purification. The process which buried a person's memory so that they could become Nimmori.

Those who fell to it easiest were often dissatisfied with their lives Before for one reason or another. While performing the ceremony on the girl, the Ki'ge saw into her past. He saw a powerful warrior with no faith or pride in her own talents. A daughter who desired the love of a father who appeared distant. A child who craved the acknowledgement of those around her. Through her Purification, he knew what to provide Kashghyu N'ga to ensure she would perform as her people needed.

It was why he chose Da Iri'ga to be her guardian upon her awakening. He was best at encouraging those Purified in the past into accepting their place among the People of the Forest. With Kashghyu, he praised her with every success. When she failed, rather than berate her he would instruct her on any mistakes and encourage her to continue her efforts. This support quickly won the girl's affection. Da Iri'ga was known to become fond of those he raised. A father-daughter bond formed quickly between them. These gave Kashghyu the confidence necessary to win the respect of the other warriors among their tribe. So long as they provided for her most powerful desires, Kashghyu N'ga would do anything for her people.

The Ki'ge watched the sleeping girl a moment longer before leaving the home and returning to his own. He had preparations to make. Tomorrow would be the day. He had much to plan for, including the inevitable interference of the _shee'nobie_. Tomorrow as too important. He could not fail.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** I, for one, am glad this mid-section of the story is over. To be honest, almost everything from the reinforcement Hyugas' introduction up to now was _not_ part of my original plan for the writing of this fic. However, I needed to do something after realizing that, in chapter 7, I had accidentally written myself into a plot hole. 

I had said that Hinata would be doing the Mori no Megami's summoning in three days. That gave me one full day to eat up (Day 1, the Konoha-nins' escape from the Nimmori, Day 2,the fights with Da Iri'ga and Hinata, Day 3, final chapters). Granted, I could've just gone back and edited the chapter to say 2 days instead of 3, but I would've felt like a hackif I done that. I screwed up, so it was only fair that I make the best of it rather than cover it up. And I think I did that, I got in some fight-scene writing practice with Hinata's and Kurenai's fights. That'll be useful int he final chapters.

I'm _hoping_ (emphasis on _hoping_) that I can finish the final chapters more quickly than I have this part. To be honest, the ideas I had for the final day are, in part, the reason I decided to write this story in the first place. I've had the majority of ideas for it in my head from day one. One or two reviewers have guessed some of what I have in mind, but I'm confident I can throw anybody who's still reading after all this time for a loop or two.

So anyway, I'll get to work on chapters 16 and up as soon as I can. And I hope you can accept a longer-than-my-norm chapter as my apology for not updating in over a month.

As another apology gift, a way to work around QuickEdit's ban on asterisks for scene breaks. As you see here and in chapter 14, you can use dotted lines(-------) so you don't have to use QuickEdit's divider if you don't wish. Which I don't, to be honest. I owe the credit for this idea to BGlanders and a _Detective Conan_ fic of his (The Case of the Girls' Night Out) I read.


	16. The Plaza

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

The flattened tree stump in the center of the Nimmori village was known as the Plaza. Though stump wasn't the most accurate word for it. It had once been a high standing, ancient tree. Years ago, back in the day of Morigakure village, it was cut down. But not at the bottom, as most trees were. Instead, the cut was made nearly ten feet from ground level.

This was done because the tree was an anomaly. Though most of the flora of the woods had small tethers to the land's lay line network, the tree was heavily steeped in the lines. This was discovered by the cult that hoped to summon forth the _Mori no Megami_ and bring her to this world. They realized immediately that this place was ideal for their goal. The summoning required a large collection of the lines in one place to act as a focusing point for the goddess' life force. The mass within the tree was perfect.

Cutting it was a precise process. For they had to create a flat space at the largest gathering of ley lines without completely destroying it in the process of cutting down the tree. They succeeded, and the Plaza was created. The place where Hyuga Hinata, where Kashghyu N'ga would become the Nimmori's Goddess-Made-Flesh.

She stood in the center of the plaza. She wore no longer the vest and short pants that the youngsters of the village favored. She now was clad in a simple white, sleeveless, one-piece tunic that ended in a knee-length skirt. It was belted at the waist with a leather strap. On her head was a tiara, made of simple iron, in itself a rarity among the Nimmori. The Ki'ge had a more ornate set of clothing ready for this ceremony. Something better befitting the Goddess they would be bringing into the world. However, practicality demanded things be kept simple. There was no guarantee that Kashghyu N'ga would not be required to fight. In the tunic, she was better set to defend herself than the longer dress they'd had ready.

All over her skin were painted lines of green and brown, moving about seemingly at random from the tips of each of her fingers and toes, along her arms and legs, and across her torso. All of these markings, as random as their patterns might appear otherwise, all ended at one point: the tree-mark on Kashghyu N'ga's forehead. This paint represented the many ley lines all over the forest. The center of which would be the point of the goddess' rebirth.

Scattered throughout the forest were men and women. Those with the strongest Life's Flames. They remained hidden for the time being. The Ki'ge didn't doubt for a moment that the _shee'nobie_ might seek to disrupt the ritual by interfering with this point. As such, the channelers would remain hidden until a signal from the Plaza was sent up letting them know their time had come. They would emerge only then, and only long enough to perform their task, to focus as much of their Flame as possible into the ley lines. Enough so that, when it all gathered at the Plaza, it would create a beacon that the goddess could sense even from her otherworldly plane. The channeling process would take a minute or two, after which the people performing their duties would use the remainder of their strength to go back into hiding. While this occurred, decoys would be used to lure out any _shee'nobie_ who might try to attack. They would be among the strongest Nimmori warriors, their goal to be to stall and, if possible, kill any enemies that attempted attack. They were placed fairly close to the real channelers, so they could respond quickly should an attack on the correct people occur.

Stationed along the village were warriors of the tribe. But they were different from most that the _shee'nobie_ had seen thus far. Until this point, excursions to the outside had been made using the younger and greener warriors, as a means of giving them valuable experience. Those guarding the village now, however, were among the best and strongest. Some at, or nearly at, the level of Da Iri'ga. Many below that power, but still beyond the youngest of the fighters. Those younger ones were currently leading the noncombatants, elderly, children, and the Purified, out of the village. Into an area intended to keep them safe should things go awry. Should the ceremony fail, or should the _shee'nobie_ actually succeed in stopping them, they would be able to create anew the People of the Forest.

The Ki'ge, who currently sat on the Plaza with Kashghyu N'ga chanting and signing to himself in preparation, had planned for as many eventualities as he could. He knew, thanks to Kashghyu N'ga, that there were now more among their enemies. At least one of whom was also of the Blessed Line. According to what he knew from the girl's memories, those of her former people often traveled in groups of four. So he knew to expect at least three others along with the five he knew of.

Kashghyu N'ga stood silently in the center. Her heart beating hard in her chest. She knew that the moment she'd been brought here for was fast approaching. She was nervous, self-doubt gnawed at her. She tried to push it away, but she was unable to focus on anything except for her own failures since the _shee'nobies'_ arrival. Her faltering had allowed their escape twice now. She had defeated them in battle, but had been unable to land the final blows. Worst yet, her memories of Before had become stronger as she thought more of them. Memories she had been fighting to bury from her first day as She of the Ghostly Eyes. She spoke of it to nobody, but she truly feared failing everybody yet again.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up behind her to see the compassionate face of Da Iri'ga. His injuries from his battle with Yuhi Kurenai had almost entirely healed. He would be fit for battle should she and her subordinates try again.

"Do not fret." he told her, reading her emotions in a way she couldn't recall anybody else ever doing, "Concentrate on your task. We will handle everything else."

Kashghyu nodded. The fact that Da Iri'ga still held faith in her lifted much of the load off her mind.

_I will not fail!_ she thought, chanting it to herself as a mantra, _I will _not_ fail!_

_----------_

Naruto and Kiba shared the last watch before the group was to set out into the Nimmori village. Kurenai had told them it was because, this close to the time, it was best to have two sets of eyes instead of one. Though they both suspected it was because she didn't trust them not to fall asleep on such boring detail. But the two of them bickered through most of their watch, keeping both ninja alert.

They had wondered to each other what Kurenai, who had the watch before theirs, had been doing when they arrived. Their only clue was what seemed to be leaves stuck in some nearby trees, almost as if thrown. They also tried to think of ways to get through to Hinata, when they finally confronted her.

"The fact is, telling her is pointless." Kiba said.

"Yeah. When I kept pushing, she became more eager to kill me, not less." Naruto commented.

"So we can't tell her." Kiba said.

"But we can show her!" Naruto said, suddenly hit by inspiration.

"Kiba," he asked, "Kurenai-sensei told me that Hinata kinda looked up to me? Is that true?"

"She told you, huh?" Kiba said, feeling a little disappointed in his master, "Well, 'kinda' is an understatement. You know how Hinata is. Shy, doesn't believe in herself much. Compare that to you, who would rather be?"

Naruto thought he understood well enough.

"You're her ideal. Yo-wait…" Kiba said, suddenly getting an idea himself, "When you said show…?"

Naruto nodded with a sly grin on his face. They were on the same wavelength.

"If you're thinking what I think you are, it's crazy." Kiba told him.

"But it might work." said a voice behind them. The two Genin jumped up and saw Shino standing behind them.

"Kurenai-sensei asked me to get you, so I couldn't help but overhear." he explained, "Hinata's hypnosis seems based in giving her that which she has idealized. You're thinking of somehow destroying that idea and making her realize she's living a false dream."

The two nodded.

"Good. Let Sensei and the Hyuga know what you're thinking while we move."

"It's time?" Naruto asked.

"It is."

"Then let's go!" Kiba said, eager for battle.


	17. Divide and Conquer

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

The eight Konoha-nin made their way through the village. The Hyuga with their _Byakugan_ kept them alert to any dangers that might stop them or slow them down. Infiltration was more difficult this time around. Now there were guards stationed at strategic points throughout the village. Kurenai could tell immediately that these were not the kids and rookies they'd fought to date. But fighters closer to the caliber of the man she had fought the day before. She instructed everyone to be on their guard as they leapt through the treetops.

When they reached a point where evading guards was not an option, Shino handled matters by using some of his more venomous insects to incapacitate the enemies before them. However, some wore the Nimmori's powerful insect repellent, keeping Shino's bugs at bay. Kurenai, in these cases, would perform a Genjutsu; creating a distraction that would allow one of the Hyuga to get close enough to silence their enemy.

Though they knew they were on the right path, Kiba and Akamaru stayed on point kept their noses alert. They were tracking Hinata's scent, which would undoubtedly lead them to the stump or close to it. Hyuga Kodomairu stayed close to Kiba, his _Byakugan_ on full alert to protect the boy and dog from any sudden danger Kiba or Akamaru might be too focused to miss.

On her orders, Naruto remained close to Kurenai. He tried to keep himself aware of his surroundings. But he kept finding himself distracted. He and Kiba had informed her of Naruto's plan and, though risky, approved it. If, or rather, when a fight started, Kurenai would make sure Naruto reached his place while the other six would create as big a ruckus as possible to lure as many enemies as possible to them. Kurenai worried now, as that was especially dangerous, considering the discovery of their enemies' new formidability.

The hope, however, was that the Konoha-nin could reach their destination without a battle, and thus set up the inevitable battle on their terms. Giving them what advantage they could. To everyone's surprise, and relief, luck seemed to be working in their favor. They reached a tree from which they could all see the tree stump clearly while remaining hidden. The presence of guards here was heavy, however, so the group had been forced to split up.

Kiba, Shino, and Kodomairu stayed together. They three were all Genin and would have better odds in battle if they stuck together. Kiba made a point of describing various team maneuvers he and Shino often used with Hinata, so that Kodomairu could, to some extent, fill in the gap she left during combat.

Tomoko and Uaishi took off another way. Kurenai had been told by Riisen that the two were siblings, and worked very well together. Both of them, as well as Riisen, were of the Chunin rank, giving them better odds against the enemy than the Genin with them did. Kurenai's worry was Riisen, who had insisted on going off alone. He assured her she would be fine. But a single Chuunin, even a talented one, against a group of strong enemies would have a difficult battle ahead of him. She had allowed it, only on the insistence that three separate disturbances would help thin the enemies ranks a bit, giving each group fewer opponents.

That left Kurenai and Naruto. When the others began their distractions, Kurenai and Naruto would use any big gaps in the enemy ranks and make a run for the stump. Fortunately, the guard was actually very light near it. Kurenai theorized this was due to the heavy amount of chakra that was to be channeled in the area. It would make it dangerous to have all but those who had to be there nearby. They could serve as a distraction to those performing the ceremony, or inadvertently cause a problem that might disrupt things too greatly.

She looked up to the sky. Despite the canopy of trees above them, Kurenai could see that dawn was approaching. They had left hours before, the pre-dawn gloom giving the large group enough darkness to move without being seen. When sunlight began to seep through the holes in the ceiling of branches and leaves above them, that would be when the others made their move. When their final attempt to salvage their lost ninja would come.

----------

The Ki'ge's chanting had begun to increase in speed. To Kashghyu N'ga it almost seemed as if the old man were being possessed by something. Though it could be just a matter of prudence. The time was fast approaching. Kashghyu knew that the channeling of the Life's Flame into the Ley Lines would begin as soon as dawn's light began peeking through the forest's cover above them. So far, there seemed to be no disturbance from the _shee'nobie_ trying to disrupt the summoning.

That calm didn't last long, however. No sooner than the channelers begin their work than a loud horn was heard over the sounds of the forest village. It was an alarm. The _shee'nobie_ had indeed attacked.

A fair distance east of the Plaza, Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Hyuga Kodomairu had made the appearance of accidentally being seen. A Nimmori, believing them caught unaware, blew a horn for an alarm and immediately leapt at the three boys, only to take a well-aimed kunai, courtesy of Kiba, into the gut and fall. Others would come to the source of the sounds and a fight would start.

North of the Plaza, Hyugas Tomoko and Uaishi set themselves up on what appeared to be a well traveled route to intercept as many enemies from this direction as possible. Uaishi placed himself close to a bridge, in plain sight of any who would pass by. Tomoko laid in wait in the trees directly above. Waiting to help pick off any who would attack her elder brother.

To the west, Hyuga Riisen was ready as well. Despite the lack of time, he had managed a few simple yet effective traps, including garroting wires and exploding seals that would catch unawares those unlucky enough to stumble into them. Close to himself, he placed incomplete or obvious traps. Things that would catch his foes' attention, distracting them enough for his attacks to take them out.

South, most of the Nimmori began heading towards the sounds of the alarm. Some had also noticed the noise of fighting on other directions, and headed there instead. This left a much more sparse, and easy to break through, group of enemies below Kurenai and Naruto. Kurenai closed her eyes and focused. She sensed only two charkas above them on the stump. One was Hinata's without a doubt. The other, she couldn't tell. It was strong, though. She thought that it was likely the one conducting the summoning. He or she would be too focused on that, hopefully, to interfere with Naruto. Those below however, were another story.

"Naruto." she said, "I'm going down there. You wait here. Do not move until you are positive that everyone is focused on me. We can't risk someone following you and getting in the way."

No sooner did Naruto nod his understanding did Kurenai leap from their hiding place and right into the middle of the surprised Nimmori. Naruto watched. As strong as the men and women below were, they weren't a match for a Jonin of Konohagakure. Many fell quickly due to their surprise and slow response to Kurenai's appearance. The rest put up a better fight, but Kurenai was still moving easily around them and fighting back. Their numbers, less than they had been just moments ago, not enough of an advantage over the kuno'ichi.

Naruto watched and waited. After a few moments, it seemed all eyes were on Kurenai. Every enemy had their focus on her. It was his chance. Naruto took a deep breath to calm himself, and leapt from the tree trunk he had been clinging to. He stayed on higher, hoping to stay out of an enemy's line of vision and also giving him the height necessary to reach the stump where Hinata was easily. The thought of his objective in his mind, he leapt with as much speed an strength as he could muster.

----------

As soon as the horns trumpeted the arrival of intruders, Da Iri'ga began to scan the surroundings. He was well attuned the sounds of the woods, and from his vantage point upon the plaza he could scan visually any area he below he needed to see quickly. When he realized that sounds of fighting seemed to be coming in all but one general direction, he looked down and saw the _shee'nobie_ woman, whom Kashghyu N'ga had told him was named Yuhi Kurenai, fighting a much smaller squad of warriors then he remembered leaving there. Doubtless they were called away by the other fights, leaving this path open. With that done, Kurenai seemed intent on keeping as much focus on her as possible.

_If that is your wish, Yuhi Kurenai,_ he thought, _then I shall indulge you._ After his first fight with the woman, the warrior's pride within him ached for a rematch. He looked to Kashghyu N'ga, who stood in silence on the center of the Plaza. Sensing his gaze, she turned away from the Ki'ge to look at him. He gave her a reassuring smile before he leapt from the plaza to enter the battle.

As he descended, he caught sight of something orange. The _shee'nobie_ boy that he knew occupied many of Kashghyu's thoughts was above him, making his way to the plaza. He momentarily wondered whether or not he should abort his mission and chase the boy. However, he knew that Kashghyu had battled him successfully already, she should be able to handle him now.

So he continued his descent, the fall affecting him little. He landed just as Yuhi had begun to finish incapacitating the last of the Nimmori she fought.


	18. Mirror Image

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

Kashghyu N'ga listened as the Ki'ge's chanting began to slow again. He was now making hand signs at a rapid pace even Kashghyu's eyes had difficulty keeping up with. In a matter of minutes, the Life's Flame channeled into the Ley Lines would begin to flow to the Plaza. At that time, it would create a beacon that the Goddess, in her otherworldly plane, would be able to sense and approach. However, the beacon's exact location would begin to shift in various directions until the final moments. Kashghyu tried to push her apprehensions aside. She would be able to keep up with the shifting and remained positioned correctly. So long as she wasn't distracted.

"HINATAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!"

----------

Kurenai had managed to defeat the remainder of the sparse forces guarding Naruto's approach when he had appeared. Kurenai recognized him immediately as the man she had fought the previous day.

He wore a brown cloth tunic. His body was decorated in war paints. The patterns and colors allowed him to blend in with his surroundings quite well. That fact actually puzzled Kurenai, as he could have easily hidden himself away and caught her by surprise. Instead, he had made no secret of his approach. She soon got a very surprising answer to her question.

"Yuhi Kurenai." the man said, pointing right at her. He then jerked a thumb and pointed at himself with it.

"Da Iri'ga."

Kurenai was stunned, to say the least. If she understood his intent correctly, he had just introduced himself. She also understood that he was challenging her to combat. Kurenai hesitated to accept. She knew her opponent's skill, if she got too caught up fighting him, Naruto and Hinata might be endangered. Her inner debate was answered for her, when the men held up a horn attached to a sash he wore around his waist. The implication was clear. If she didn't accept, he'd put pride aside and summon more fighters to aid him. Kurenai pulled a kunai dagger from her belt's pouch.

The two warriors charged and began their rematch.

----------

Elsewhere, three Genin and their dog were in danger of being overwhelmed. The initial fighting had gone in their favor. But now the enemy was regrouping. Shino had instructed his partners that he was preparing a swarm of his bugs to deal with their foes. But he needed time to place them, so they could catch their enemy off guard. Kiba, Akamaru, and Kodomairu engaged the enemy to buy Shino time. As expected, Kodomairu managed to fill the gap left by Hinata. Also as expected, he wasn't able to do so as well as Hinata, who had more familiarity with her teammates and their moves. But they were managing so far.

As the battle progressed, though, the Hyuga boy was managing better with Kiba and Akamaru. His moves became more and more in tune with those of his temporary teammates. Before long, Shino launched his attack. A small army of his insects had been hiding in holes in the wooden bridges and knotholes in trees where Shino had been ordering them. As Nimmori came too close, Shino would unleash the creatures on them. Those hit hardest fell almost immediately as the insects fed off their chakra. The insects became ravenous and began attacking all the enemies that came near their suddenly stricken comerade.

The battle returned to the favor of the Konoha-nin. They didn't have their enemies power or numbers. But they were using their talents well enough to keep an edge.

----------

Two siblings, both Chunin of Konohagakure, were having a fairly easy time with their battles. Hyuga Uaishi had not moved more than three steps from the point where the Nimmori had first seen him. Uaishi was highly adept at fighting within a limited amount of space. He could fight off a dozen opponents without a great deal of movement. And that was exactly what he did now.

Hyuga Tomoko, however, lacked her brother's patience for staying in one place. She preferred to move. To that end, she had perfected ninjutsu and taijutsu that enabled one to gain greater speed of movement. Enough speed that even some of her relatives _Byakugan_ were unable to track for moments.

While the enemy focused on her elder sibling, she would move through their formation, striking down those who were unfortunate enough to have her path crossed by her. When others looked back to their allies' suddenly being cut down, Uaishi would make his move. Striking down physically those close enough, and hitting with shuriken and kunai those out of range.

The battle was hard won, but won it was.

----------

Hyuga Riisen, another Chunin, had a more difficult time. Though he was only one man, he had great intelligence on his side. His IQ could rival that of another Chunin of Konoha, Nara Shikamaru. However, unlike the young and still inexperienced boy, Riisen had a mind sharpened by many years of experience as a Shinobi.

As anticipated, those Nimmori who didn't fall into the serious traps took their time around the fake or incomplete ones, leaving them open for attack. Soon, though, the enemy caught on to the plan. They began forgetting the obvious traps and keeping an eye out for hidden ones. Riisen kept himself hidden within the shadows of the forests' leaves and branches. His _Byakugan_ provided him the range of vision enough that allowed him to hide without having to worry that he himself couldn't see what was occurring around him.

From his hiding place, he could see clearly the Nimmori searching for him. He timed attacks and movement carefully. To prevent their pinpointing his position. When he deemed it a good time to do so, he would throw a shuriken or kunai at the enemy. When it seemed he was in danger of being seen, he would quickly and silently move somewhere else. No simple task, as these were warriors who knew the forests and what to listen for. But he managed it.

Those that remained to challenge him didn't move. They wanted to find this intruder and deal with him. As his main goal was to keep them away from everyone else, that suited Riisen just fine.

----------

"HINATAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!"

Kashghyu's head jerked in shock at the sound of the voice. It was him! The blond _shee'nobie_. She could feel her cheeks warm with blush at the mere sight.

_Not here! Not _now

The Ki'ge, still signing and chanting, looked to Kashghyu N'ga and gave a barely noticeable nod of his head. He was giving her instruction to deal with the intruder. She was happy to do so. She was through putting up with him. It was time to end this.

"I have had enough of you!" she told him.

"I've had enough of everything, really." he shot back, "I'm going to make you finally realize what's going on here!"

"You can't defeat me. You lost to me with the aid of your friend and his pup."

"Heh! I'll be just fine, now that they aren't holding me back!" he said, with a mix of arrogance and defiance. Kashghyu felt a throb in the back of her head. But she set it aside.

"You don't plan on trying to tell me I'm this Hinata person again, do you?" Kashghyu asked, her hands suddenly clenching into fists.

"No, I don't." Naruto said, "I've finally realized that trying to tell you is pointless."

With that, Naruto placed his hands together, his index and middle fingers lining upward.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!!" he cried. Several Naruto appeared with clouds of smoke. Kashghyu watched, unimpressed, she'd seen this technique already. But Naruto wasn't finished.

"Henge!!" he shouted. Another large cloud of smoke appeared. With her Ghostly Eyes, Kashghyu N'ga could see the forms of the boy and his doubles within changing. She didn't know what they had become though, until the smoke cleared. Kashghyu watched, her eyes wide and her mouth open in shock.

As the smoke blew and thinned, Kashghyu N'ga saw, not an army of blonde _shee'nobie_, but herself. She saw herself, dressed in familiar clothing. A heavy white jacket, a maroon bodysuit underneath, and a headband with a leaf insignia worn around the neck. The army of Uzumaki Narutos had transformed itself into an army of Hyuga Hinatas!

"Trying to tell you is pointless!" Said the leader of the band of Hinata, her voice carrying the confidence the real Hinata only dreamed of, "That's why I have to show you who you really are!"


	19. Rematch

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

Kashghyu N'ga was slow in regaining her senses. The army of doppelgangers before her was a total shock. She calmed herself when she thought of what his plan had to be. He intended to throw her off balance, to confuse her. That would not work. She would not let it.

"Let these doubles come!" she exclaimed, "I will topple them all!"

Come they did. Naruto charged his army at his enemy. He no longer had any intention of holding back against Hinata. It was all or nothing, now. He had to use everything he had at his disposal to succeed. And succeed he would. He had to!

Kashghyu N'ga met the troop of mirror images head-on. They may have looked like her, but they fought in the style of Uzumaki Naruto. A style she knew from their previous encounter. A style she knew she could defeat. However, the numbers being pushed on her were potentially overwhelming. She had to figure out which of her enemies was truly the blond or all was lost.

Naruto was smarter than that, though. Just as he did against Hyuga Neji, he spread his chakra evenly among his dozen or so doubles. He knew Hinata would have a hard time finding the real Naruto among them all. Also, because she remembered Naruto's trick of keeping a double out of the fight as a decoy, she would be forced to treat each and every likeness of herself as the real enemy. That would cause Hinata to waste energy should could otherwise conserve by going only after her real foe.

Through all this, the Ki'ge watched, unable to end his chanting and signing to help the girl. She was on her own for this fight.

Kashghyu N'ga jumped and planted her hand on the head of one of the Hyuga Hinatas she fought. Using the transformed double as a vaulting horse, she leapt through the air, twisting and contorting though the mob. When she landed on her feet, she shot out two of her hands, index and middle fingers extended. One attack missed, but the other landed in the upper chest of one of her foes, causing it to disappear in a cloud of smoke. She dove forward and rolled just in time to avoid a sweeping kick from a Hinata behind her.

However, Kashghyu N'ga also inadvertently placed herself right into the path of another double. She couldn't move in time to avoid the punch coming at her. It hit her square on the jaw, knocking her onto her back. She just barely recovered in time to roll away from an attempt to hit her while she was down. Kashghyu separated herself as best she could from the mob of doubles. Had she remained in the thick of battle like that, she would have been eventually overwhelmed.

When the combatants split, Naruto took a moment to think about his options. The Kage Bunshin seemed to be doing their job, beating her through numbers. Naruto hated the fact that he had had to strike Hinata the way he did. He hated the idea of hitting girls in general. Girls he liked, such as Sakura or Hinata, were big no-no's in his book. For now, though, he choked down his own self-loathing for the greater good. He'd beg Hinata's forgiveness later, when they survived this.

Naruto charged his doubles after Hinata once more. Again, Naruto held the upper hand. His army of Hyuga Hinata slowly overwhelming the real one. Hinata was able to hit the chakra points necessary to dispel several of the clones, but Naruto was more than able to create more in their place.

Kashghyu N'ga wasn't sure what to do about this situation. The boy was organizing his duplicates well enough that her close-combat techniques were doing little to aid her. She had to find some way to take the fight back into her own hands. Something, anything. 

"Hinata! Again!"

Kashghyu's balance was momentarily thrown by the sudden voice in her head. A voice she recognized as the white-eyed man from her dreams. The one who left her crying as she woke. 

"Again, Hinata." he said. Kashghyu saw a girl, saw herself, stand again and assume a battle stance.

"Concentrate your Chakra to all of the Tenketsu in your body. Maintain your equilibrium, and then twirl your body."

The girl in Kashghyu's mind attempted to do so. Unfortunately, she overdid the amount of chakra in part of her body and was thrown off balance, falling on her rear in the process.

"Again!" the man commanded.

Kashghyu N'ga instinctively tried shaking off the memory. That was, until she realized just what the memory had shown her. Her edge. Her advantage. A technique her old self, the self of Before, could not perform. One Kashghyu N'ga knew she could manage. She managed once again to extricate herself from the mob of doubles challenging her. Uzumaki sent them after her once more, but she blocked their presence from her mind. She focused solely on her current goal. Her Life's Flame spread throughout her body at her command, gathering at the correct points. When she felt the proper amounts had built up, she unleashed her move.

"Kaiten!" she screamed as the name came to her. Kashghyu N'ga twirled her body in place as she expelled the Flame in her body. A small tornado surrounded her for an instant just as her enemies were reaching her. They were caught up in the winds and sent flying. Many were blown clear off the edges of the plaza, puffs of smoke arising as their distance grew too far from that of their creator. Those few who remained, among whom Kashghyu knew was the boy she fought, were sprawled around the flat trunk in varying states of injury.

The battle was hers once more.

----------

Far below, at the base of the plaza, two other warriors fought another battle. Kurenai and Da Iri'ga had proven to be nearly equal opponents. Kurenai had superior power and skill on her side. The older man she fought had plenty of past experience and a thorough knowledge of the battlefield terrain working in his favor. He was making frequent use of the technique Kurenai now understood, thanks to Hyuga Riisen, to be the Konoha-no-Shuriken-no-Jutsu. That did not surprise Kurenai. As she understood it, the technique was quite useful if you had good enough chakra control to perform it.

Da Iri'ga performed the signs Kurenai knew would create more of the leaf projectiles. As expected, they came at her with near blinding speed. Kurenai dodged them with ease, but just barely dodged an attack inexplicably coming from behind her. As she leaped away from a high kick meant to incapacitate her she saw another Da Iri'ga standing behind where she had been. Kurenai understood instantly that the man had used the leaf shuriken that missed and transformed them into a Habunshin leaf double.

Looking around, Kurenai saw more of the leaves scattered by the technique forming into the doubles. Kurenai quickly counted about four of them along with the real Da Iri'ga. Kurenai became concerned, thinking of the obvious combination of the bunshin and shuriken. She made a note to herself not to let her foes get too close.

_On the other hand…_ she thought, an idea forming. This was a good chance to go on the offensive and surprise her enemy.

Rather than keep her distance, Kurenai charged one of her foe's doubles. She drew a kunai and stabbed it into the enemy's chest. It made no move to block her. It wasn't supposed to. The (normally) fatal wound dispelled the illusion, turning the man in front of her into a human shaped mass of tree leaves. She guessed, more than saw, that Da Iri'ga was making the hand motions to begin the shuriken move. However, Kurenai moved first.

Remembering her first encounter with the Nimmori warrior, she brought her own hands up and performed the very same signs her opponent was in the midst of performing. However, Kurenai's formal training gave her an edge. She was much faster on her sign weaving than even Da Iri'ga, who specialized in this particular maneuver.

Kurenai had spent her entire watch the previous evening practicing the signs as best she remembered them. That practice had been rewarded when about half of the leaves began to glow and fly at her enemy. However, due to Kurenai's inexperience with the jutsu, Da Iri'ga was able to claim the rest. Kurenai was prepared. Inspired by seeing the Kazetama no Jutsu at the start of their first battle, Kurenai performed a variation of the move she'd once learned.

"_Fuuton - Kaze no Tate no Jutsu!_" She thrust forward her right hand, focusing much of her Chakra into it. The result was a rush of wind forcing out before her much like a barrier. The leaf shuriken proved very vulnerable to sudden rush of wind and stopped in mid-air and fell to the ground. As she performed the Kaze no Tate, her left hand reached into her shuriken pouch and pulled very real shuriken from it, hurling them towards the leaves she'd sent at her enemy.

When Da Iri'ga made moves to dodge the leaves, he'd found himself the target of metal stars. Kurenai had timed her throw well, catching her enemy in the midst of dodging one attack, and unable to evade the second. He wound up with a star in his upper left arm and in the right side of his stomach.

The man staggered. Kurenai knew she had just gotten her best chance to finish this. She charged, kunai in hand. Da Iri'ga wasn't finished, however. He had one final technique to use. A move he knew could finish the fight in his favor. He had no idea it would be an almost fatal mistake…

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I'm back, off this accidental hiatus,and almost done with this story. As I write up the final couple of chapters, I'll post what I have finished here bit by bit. For any who're still reading/waiting for updates, I hope you'll enjoy. 


	20. Uzumaki Naruto vs Kashghyu N'ga

**_NARUTO_**  
**GHOSTLY EYES**  
BY  
Sgamer82

Naruto, still in the form of Hinata, picked himself up onto his feet. Naruto had never expected Hinata would use that spinning move Neji used. Then again, Naruto knew it was something only Hyuga could do. That meant he was making progress. Her memory was coming back, bit by bit.

Naruto had figured this would work. When he and Kiba had spoken during their watch last night, they had talked about Kurenai's lecture on hypnosis. They remembered her saying that hypnosis was only effective when the person wanted to do what they were being hypnotized to do. They thought that meant that the more someone wanted it, the more susceptible they were.

They knew that Hinata wanted to be strong, to be acknowledged. They knew that this Genjutsu of the Nimmoris' was giving her what she wanted most. They had to break that spell to get Hinata back. In remembering her admiration for Naruto, the two had come up with this idea. To show Hinata the ideal self. The self she strived to be. Confident, strong, refusing to yield to any obstacle. In so doing, Hinata would (hopefully) realize that what she had wasn't what she really wanted after all, breaking through the illusion holding her. To accomplish that, Naruto took Hinata's form, intending to fight and defeat Kashghyu N'ga, and bring back the real Hyuga Hinata.

If the pain resulting in hitting a spinning wall of chakra was any indication, it was working. Though perhaps not as well as it should be. Hinata was clearly remembering something of her past. But she was still in the persona of Kashghyu N'ga. Naruto was sure of this because she still had that irritating smirk on her face. That look that said she knew she would win, it was just a matter of how long it would take. Not to be outdone, however, Naruto gave Hinata that very same smirk in reply.

"Nice trick, _Hinata_!" he called out in the girl's voice, making a point of stressing her name. Hinata's smirk faltered for a moment at the mention of her name. Naruto took a quick inventory of his Bunshin. Many had been dispelled as a result of Hinata's last strike. However, he counted out about six or seven remained. Naruto considered making more, but thought better of it. It would waste chakra better conserved for something down the line.

He had the Kuchiyose no Jutsu and the Rasengan. However, his summoning was still a bit unpredictable and the Rasengan too potentially lethal. While he was no longer holding back, he still didn't want to actually kill Hinata. Besides, while Kage Bunshin helped Naruto in unsettling Hinata, using any techniques she had never seen before might hurt his chances of getting through to her. Using stuff she had seen already made her unsteady, reminded her of the past. Using unfamiliar moves threatened to make her refocus her attention on the present.

_Okay… so what can I use that she already knows about?_ Naruto wondered to himself. He had an idea, and he had just enough Bunshin available to implement it. Unfortunately, Hinata moved before he did. Kashghyu N'ga performed a technique she had studied in her brief time among the Nimmori. Though also known to the outside world, it was commonly known and used here as a means of traveling through the large trees. She squatted down, concentrating as much of Life's Flame into her legs and feet. She then jumped straight up, gaining height far greater than any normal human could accomplish alone. _Batta no Chouyaku_, the Leap of the Grasshopper, was a means of leaping great heights or distance when necessary, a vital tool to a tree dwelling people.

Naruto could only watch as Hinata leapt straight up. He wondered what she was trying to do. He became even more perplexed when Hinata began performing the Kaiten when her jump reached its highest point. Naruto wondered what her plan was, as all she seemed to be doing was kicking up some heavy wind. Naruto realized what she was doing as she began to come down, several of wind blown leaves following behind her.

He had only heard of the leaf shuriken move from Kurenai. This was his first time seeing it in action. He knew her plan now, and he couldn't think of anything to stop it. She was using this technique as a means to hit all of her doppelgangers at once. He watched as Hinata performed the signs necessary for the move, making the dozens upon dozens of leaves she'd blown free hurtle straight down.

All the Naruto-Hinatas did their best to move and dodge, but the real Hinata had made a point of using as many leaves as possible spread out as much as possible. There was nowhere on that stump that was safe except for maybe near the old man who was chanting. That was out, as Naruto got the feeling he should keep away from that guy as much as possible. So he did the only thing he could, he took the hits.

The leaves didn't hurt much, but they did leave a lot of minor scratches. Naruto's unusually quick healing took care of them easily enough. But Hinata's goal with this attack wasn't to harm Naruto so much as expose him. The leaves did that with ease as the doubles that were hit poofed away into smoke, leaving only the real Naruto standing.

Naruto knew he had to think fast. All was lost if she beat him. He had to figure out some way to win. His initial idea was still feasible. He just had to time it. But how, and when? There had to be some moment of vulnerability he could exploit. Just as Hinata landed and charged him, he got it. The moment an opening would most likely occur. If he did it right, she'd walk right into it, too.

Naruto focused his Chakra, once again calling on the Kage-Bunshin no Jutsu to create doppelgangers of himself in Hinata's form. He created about one dozen in all. He sent half of them to charge Hinata, reaching her just as she landed gracefully on the stump that was their battlefield. Hinata, as Naruto expected, didn't hesitate. Once again she spun her body like a top, calling on the Hakkeshô Kaiten to spin away the doubles fighting her. Naruto waited for his opportunity. After some seconds went by, the wind generated by the Hyuga girl's move began to die down. Her spinning slowed.

_Now!_

Naruto had his remaining doubles, who had moved around so as to surround Hinata, attack. Four came at her, the one in front of Hinata struck first. Hinata, not fully recovered form using the Kaiten, had no way of defending herself.

"U…" the double cried as a it got down in its hands and kicked straight up at Hinata's jaw. The force of the blow sent Hinata a few inches into the air.

"Zu…" said the next bunshin as a similar kick hit Hinata's left arm.

"Ma…" another cried, kicking at Hinata's right side.

"Ki…" the last charging double said as it sent its kick into Hinata's back. This kick sent Hinata farther into the air, where the real Naruto had leapt up and was waiting.

"Naruto Rendan!" he cried, as he swung his foot back to land one final kick, flipping Hinata and sending her plummeting back to the stump head-first. But Naruto wasn't done yet. Two final bunshin ran toward Hinata, their hands held palm-out. They each sent an open handed hit right into the real Hinata's belly.

"Hinata Version!" they cried as their blows struck.

**----------**

Kashghyu N'ga couldn't tell if the pain she felt in her head was due to the attack from her enemy, or from the deluge of memories suddenly flooding it.

As the boy in her form attacked, her mind filled with images of him, in his real shape, fighting with the other shee'nobie. The boy with the dog. She watched him get up, despite his enemy's ferocity. She heard his declaration that he would not give up. That he would become his land's greatest Shinobi. She remembered the feeling of admiration that welled up in her during that battle as he tricked his enemy into attacking his own partner. A faith in the boy that didn't waver, even when his sole reason for winning was a fortunately timed bout of flatulence. She saw him finish off the ninja Inuzuka Kiba with the very move he was using on her that very moment.

In the present, the final two doubles' strike sent Kashghyu skidding along the Plaza, bouncing and spinning until her momentum was lost. She lay there for a second, before using what she could of her strength to get onto her knees. As she did, more memories clutched at her mind. A boy, who resembled her. A battle she knew she couldn't win. A battle she continued to fight anyway.

_"I don't quit… and I won't run!" she had declared, "I won't… take back… my words. That… is my _Nindô_!" _

Kashghyu held her head, tears flowing from her eyes as the pain in her head grew worse.

"Damn you…" she hissed between sobs. Naruto didn't respond.

"Damn… you…" Naruto tentatively approached the girl. He stopped when her head suddenly shot up and looked him right in the eyes.

"Damn you, Naruto-kun!" Hyuga Hinata screamed, "Stop making me remember!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Credit for the "Leap of the Grasshopper" move belongs to my online friend toujin cthlu. 


	21. Kashghyu N'ga vs Hyuga Hinata

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

There is a tool that, depending on how it is used, can turn the tide in almost any situation. Those who lack this tool often have great difficulties in life. But those very difficulties create that tool. Those who possess it, but forget to use it, doom themselves to repeating mistakes made once before. However, for those who both possess and correctly use it, no obstacle is too great.

The name of that tool is experience. Yuhi Kurenai was using it to the best of her ability now. Remembering his penchant for the leaf shuriken technique, Kurenai had spent her watch learning its basics. That had served her well, allowing her to wound her enemy in his upper-left arm and the right side of his gut.

Experience was serving her yet again, as her foe had ignored the pain in his arm to bring it up and perform hand signs. Hand signs Kurenai knew. Hand signs Kurenai herself had performed. Da Iri'ga was selecting a technique Kurenai was very familiar with. Which meant she knew just what to do about it.

Kurenai watched as her enemy appeared to vanish with the blowing of the wind. He had performed a Genjutsu to make him seem invisible. At this very moment, he was creeping up behind her. She knew what he was likely to do, and did nothing to stop his approach. As expected, a tree seemed to sprout of the ground and wrap its branches around her. With the _Jubaku Fuusa_ illusion in full effect, Kurenai knew her moment had come.

She knew of two ways to stop this technique. The most basic, and one that generally worked for most Genjutsu, is to hurt or injure herself in some way. The pain, even from something as simple as biting her lip hard enough to draw blood, would make her re-focus on reality, breaking the illusion. However, she had another plan in mind. One she had learned from a previous failed attempt at this very Genjutsu. An idea that, if successful, would make the battle hers.

The second option was the use of a _Genjutsu-Kaishu_. A counter-illusion. It would throw the illusion back on the user, causing him to be trapped in a tree awaiting death. When performing this technique, Uchiha Itachi had had the aid of the Sharingan, _Kekkei Genkai _of the Uchiha clan, to aid him. Normally though, it wasn't that simple. One needed to have some familiarity with the illusion being used to be able to reverse it.

As a Genjutsu specialist and a user of this technique, Yuhi Kurenai possessed that familiarity.

She focused her chakra in such a way that it would influence the illusion. Hand seals were not needed for this move. Which was fortunate, as the illusion kept them pinned down. When Da Iri'ga appeared, seeming to come out of the tree, Kurenai made her move. The _Genjutsu-Kaishu _took effect immediately. No sooner had Kurenai done it than Da Iri'ga was held fast by his own tree.

Kurenai smiled at the shock on his face. Obviously, he had never witnessed such a counter. It's possible he was even one of only a few Nimmori who knew the technique at all. Having never experienced such an occurrence, he was caught completely unprepared. Kurenai wasted no time in pulling out a kunai. She didn't want to give him time to recover from his surprise and break out of the illusion.

It was just as she raised the kunai for the final attack that she heard the scream from above.

----------

"Damn you, Naruto-kun!" Hyuga Hinata yelled, "Stop making me remember!"

Naruto stood there, dumbstruck. Had Hinata just said what he thought she had?

As though the shout had served as a trigger, the tree-mark on her forehead began to glow a pale green. Naruto watched as the glow began to spread along her head, gradually covering her body. As soon as it stated, the glow faded, revealing several symbols painted on Hinata's skin. Some were kanji, others Naruto didn't recognize. Hinata remained where she was, kneeling on the ground. She didn't move, nor did she seem to notice the changes on her body. It seemed she was too wrapped up in her own pain and memories to care.

"Hinata…" Naruto said, taking some tentative steps toward her.

"Stop looking like me…" she said, barely above a whisper. Not really sure what else to do, Naruto complied. He dropped his illusion, returning to his normal form. He also dispelled all of his Hinata-formed Bunshin.

"Hinata," the girl twitched when Naruto spoke her name, "We gotta leave."

"Leave…" Hinata repeated.

"Yeah, before the geezer over there gets any ideas about stopping us." Naruto said.

"He won't…" Hinata muttered, looking at the old man, "The Ki'ge is in the midst of the chant that will bring the Goddess here… he can't stop or the ceremony will fail. He wants very desperately for it to succeed."

"Then let's go!" Naruto told her. He walked up to Hinata and grabbed her arm to pull her to her feet. Hinata pulled away from his grip, crawling backwards away from him.

"Stay back, _Shee'nboie_!" she hissed angrily. Her anger was just as suddenly replaced by a nervous stare. Naruto could see it in her eyes, it was clear she wasn't certain about what to do. Kurenai had warned him about this.

_"Should you succeed," Kurenai had explained when Naruto filled her in on his plan, "Hinata will likely experience her real memories in a rush. All of them almost at once. This is likely to place her in a state of psychological shock. A conflict between her real self and Kashghyu N'ga." _

"What's that mean?" Naruto had asked.

"Best-case scenario, she'll enter a state of catatonia, meaning she won't move, speak, or react to anything. We can deal with that later. If that happens just grab her and go. More likely, however, she'll be very confused. Torn between one self and the other. It'll be your burden, in that event, to bring her back to her senses and convince her to become Hyuga Hinata once again."

In other words, he had to try and talk her back to earth. He could do that.

"Hinata, it's not safe here." Naruto told her, "We need to leave right now."

"He needs me…" Hinata said, looking at the old man "The Ki'ge… he said only… only I can help him bring the goddess to this world…"

"By sacrificing you!" Naruto told her. When she cringed he realized he'd screamed that part. Naruto stepped back and shut up. The last thing he needed to do now was panic her. She was too close to that as it was. Naruto, very slowly, walked up to her and kneeled down in front of her.

"Hinata," he said, looking her in the eyes, "We can _not _stay here."

"But if I go… I'll let him down…" Hinata said, "I'd let my people down."

"Hinata," Naruto said, growing frustrated, "these are not your people! Me, Kurenai-sensei, Kiba, Shino, your clansmen…_ we're _your people! We all came here to get you!"

"Why…"

"Why! How can you even ask that! You're a Shinobi of Konohagakure! A comrade! We can't… won't leave you behind!"

With that Naruto grabbed Hinata's wrists and pulled the girl to her feet. To Naruto's surprise, she began to struggle violently.

"Let go, Naruto-kun!" she yelled, "Let go! Unhand me, _Shee'nobie_!"

With that Hinata kneed Naruto in the stomach. As Naruto staggered she pulled back out of his immediate reach.

"I am not Hinata!" Hinata shouted, "I am not that girl! That weakling! I'm not! I'm… I…"

Hinata suddenly sank to her knees and held her head. Naruto heard her as she suddenly began to cry.

"I don't want to be Hinata… I don't want to be a weakling…" she moaned, "Why did you make me remember, Naruto-kun? Why are making me remember my weakness…"

"Hinata…" Naruto said as he stared at the very confused girl before him. He walked over to her, slowly, carefully so as not to accidentally scare her again.

"Hinata, listen to me. I came here to rescue you. _You_! Hyuga Hinata! Not Cashew Naga or whatever. And I'm gonna do it. I don't care if I have to carry you outta here kicking and screaming I'll do it!"

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata said with a sniff. Naruto actually felt a bit of relief when Hinata smiled and blushed slightly, "You actually came here… to rescue _me_?"

"Of course I did!" Naruto answered.

"Thank you…" Hinata said, taking Naruto's hand into hers, "and… sorry."

"It's okay." Naruto said, "You don't gotta apologize because I got pulled into this, too."

"Yes… that as well."

"Huh?" Naruto realized just a moment too late just what Hinata meant.

Hinata's grip on Naruto's hand suddenly tightened. Her other hand shot out and grabbed Naruto's arm. Before he could react, she had begun expelling chakra from the pores in her body and spinning. Naruto could do nothing as Hinata spun him around with the _Kaiten_. When she finally let go, Naruto was sent flying away. As he passed the edge of the plaza and began his descent to the ground below the only thing he could do was scream Hinata's name.


	22. Second Coming

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

Hinata could only stare at in the direction in which she had just sent Naruto flying. Her mind focused on only one question. 

What did I just do?

She had just sent Uzumaki Naruto falling, very possibly, to his death. She wondered for a moment what on earth had possessed her to do that? She understood the answer just as quickly. Hinata looked at the old Ki'ge and understood. She had done it for him. For Da Iri'ga. For the Nimmori. For those who had acknowledged her talent and given her confidence and strength she had never known before.

The Ki'ge, having watched all that transpired, was not surprised by the girl's actions. He had felt such an outcome might occur. It was what made this girl such an ideal candidate for the Goddess. Even if the Purification was broken, he suspected she would still serve the Nimmori cause. When one desperately seeks acknowledgement above all else and receives it, she will do anything for those who give it. As he finished the final words of his chanting, he decided it was time to act, before the child wavered once more.

"Kashghyu N'ga." the Ki'ge said. The girl did not respond.

"Hinata." he said, using her name from Before. Her head snapped up and she stared at the old man.

"Ki'ge…"

"It is no time to falter. Are you ready, child, to fulfill your destiny? To become our Goddess?"

Hinata's mouth formed a thin line. For a moment, the Ki'ge honestly wondered if she would indeed be able to follow through. His fears were unfounded, however, as the girl activated the Ghostly Eyes and walked closer to him.

"I am!" she replied, all the confidence of Kashghyu N'ga in her voice.

"Then let the final stage commence." with that, the Ki'ge took a deep breath, calling up his Life's Flame to perform the technique that would provide the signal to those scattered among the Ley Lines' focusing points. The man picked up a mound of leaves scattered near him. Some from the heat of Kashghyu N'ga's battle, some just there because they fell on their own. He held them for a moment, channeling the Flame into the leaves. He next took a deep breath and blew as he opened his palm. What had once been leaves flew from the man's palm in the shape of bright flower petals. A simple technique, one he used in festivals and celebrations to heighten the mood. People believed that when they caught the petals the Ki'ge made, they would be blessed with good fortune. As this would be the greatest moment of the Nimmori's history, it was truly appropriate.

The Ki'ge clapped his hands together. With the guidance of his Life's Flame the petals scattered. They flew along the winds on a path that would take them all past the channelers hidden deep in the woods. They would channel their power into the lines of the forest. From there the power would flow along the lines until they reached a single point. A nexus in the system. One located on the plaza, where he and Kashghyu N'ga waited.

In the woods, men and women, those with the most powerful and enduring of Life's Flames, saw the flower petals fly by and understood. It was time. They summoned as much power as they could manage from their inner Flames. When its strength reached its peak, the put their hands down on the ground. Their target was the junction point of the Ley Lines. These points would absorb the power and send it along the complex pathways that would eventually reach the plaza. There, all the Nimmoris' power would gather, creating a beacon great enough that the Goddess would know the exact location of their vessel. The location of She of the Ghostly Eyes.

----------

Kurenai had just been about to land her final blow upon Da Iri'ga when she heard Naruto's scream above her. She immediately put her kunai back into her leg pouch and ran towards the direction Naruto's voice came from. While she knew it was a problem not finishing her enemy yet again, her teammate came first. Kurenai saw him as she ran around the base of the high stump. He was plummeting to the ground. She didn't hesitate.

She ran as hard as she could to Naruto's likely landing point. She jumped and spread out her arms and legs into a spread eagle position. She knew it was foolish to try and actually catch him, so she settled on breaking his fall. He fell on top of her as she did what she could to cushion his fall. Doing so, however, it took a large toll on her. Naruto's weight, falling at the speed it was and hitting her body, caused, at the very least, severe injury to one of her arms as she hit the ground. She couldn't tell if the bone was broken or not, regardless the arm was useless. She also felt some pain in her back.

Naruto, however, got off relatively unscathed. There weren't any serious injuries on him as far as she could tell. Naruto rolled himself off of Kurenai's body and only just then noticed what he had landed on.

"Kurenai-sensei!" he cried out. Kurenai sat up and reassured him she was more or less fine. She had him explain the events up above and why he was falling like he had. She listened silently as he quickly related his fight with Hinata and her condition after regaining her memories.

"No…" Kurenai whispered silently to herself, "We failed…"

"Not yet we didn't!" Naruto yelled, "it's not over yet! I'm going back u-"

"It's over Naruto." Kurenai said as she stood herself up, "Hinata is lost to us."

"But…"

"Naruto, you said Hinata was confused. She didn't know what to do or even who she was. In that condition, she would have reoriented herself by seeking that which gave her the greatest comfort and direction. In that condition, she chose Kashghyu N'ga over Hyuga Hinata!"

Both Shinobi were silent for a long time. Only Kurenai's training kept her emotions from pouring out. Kurenai didn't want to believe it. However, she knew it was true. The Hyuga Hinata they'd always known was lost to them. Even if they got her back now, for better or for worse she'd never be the same.

Kurenai didn't wish to have to do what she knew was next. But now, there was little choice. As they spoke, the Nimmori were finishing the ceremony that would bring the goddess forth. A ceremony that absolutely could not be successful, no matter what. They had to put an end to it somehow. They had to re-start the cataclysm that destroyed _Morigakure_ Village so long ago. Even though it would mean their lives.

Suddenly, the ground around them began to glow. A faint white hue began to emit from the soil. Kurenai scanned the sight and realized that the white light seemed to be almost a spider webbed network of pathways and currents.

_The Ley Lines!_ Kurenai realized. Chakra was being channeled into them at such a quantity that they were becoming visible to the naked eye. Looking at the stump, Kurenai saw the lines snake their way up into the tree trunk high into the air. She knew, at the top, was a great cluster of the lines. A focal point in the network. All the Chakra would gather at a specific point in that cluster. Though it would be near impossible to gauge exactly where.

Near impossible, that is, without the use of the Byakugan. With a person of the Hyuga clan, it was possible to successfully complete the ritual. Which meant…

"_Mori… No…_"

Kurenai turned towards the sound of the voice and saw Da Iri'ga, leaning on his right arm and supporting himself against the large tree. Kurenai's shuriken earlier had apparently done more damage than she realized, as his left arm hung limp at his side and his stomach still had small wound in it. Kurenai surmised it was the blood loss from the gut injury that made him have trouble moving. He wouldn't be fighting any more.

"_Mori… no…_"

He staggered and fell into a sitting position, his back leaning against the roots of the tree.

"_Mori… no Megami!_" he cried out, a smile on his face.

"What!" Naruto said.

"Their goddess is about to be reborn!" Kurenai explained.

"No…"

Kurenai looked at the boy, whose demeanor had suddenly changed.

"NO!" he cried out. He brought his hands together and began calling up Chakra. Kurenai wondered what he was thinking when she suddenly felt the rush of power coming from within him. She understood at once. He was calling on the powers of the _Kyuubi_, the Nine-Tailed fox sealed within him.

"Naruto…"

"I won't let her do it!" he cried out, "I don't care what it takes!"

He was about to rush up the tree full tilt when Kurenai called out to him. She considered trying to convince him not to go, but she knew it would be pointless. He was decided and Kurenai was in no condition to physically stop him.

"Naruto…" she said, "Good luck. And, for what it's worth, the Fox really _wasn't_ why we brought you."

Naruto turned and looked up at the tree.

"I know. And thanks."

With that, Naruto, swathed in the red light of the demon's Chakra, ran to take one last shot at keeping Hinata from destroying herself.

----------

Da Iri'ga watched the faces of the _Shee'nobie_ fall as he pronounced the coming of his goddess. His enemies might have beaten him, but Kashghyu N'ga, with the goddess' power, would finish them. His own face fell, however, at the experience that came next.

The blond boy, the one Kashghyu had been infatuated with, began displaying the power of a Life's Flame more intense than any Da Iri'ga had felt before. The power of that Flame chilled him to the very bone. It felt terrible and he wasn't even close to it. He watched as the boy, strengthened by that power charged his way up to the Plaza.

Yuhi Kurenai turned and saw him. She smirked at the expression of shock on his face before falling back into a sitting position, the injuries of battle and saving the boy catching up to her. They sat there, alone, for a few moments. Soon though, Da Iri'ga felt that chill in his bones again. He felt that terrible power once more.

He initially thought the blond boy was returning. But he then discovered something was different about this. It wasn't coming from above him. It was coming from below.

The dark power was coming from the Ley Lines. The pathways that were channeling the Goddess to his foster daughter.

_No! _he thought, _It cannot be! This power… this demonic Flame… it can't be our Goddess!_

As the feeling of dread passed and faded, he looked up, to where he could now feel two of the intense flames, racing up to the top of the tree. He looked to Kurenai, who appeared as worried as he now felt.

If that truly was their Goddess, then just what was Kashghyu N'ga about to become?

----------

Naruto charged up the tree as fast as his fox-heightened legs would take him. There was no time for hesitation, for second thoughts. Even conscious thought was lost to him, save for the one driving Naruto's actions in these moments.

_I have to save Hinata! Hinata was the first. Before Kakashi-sensei. Before Sakura-chan and Sasuke. Before even Iruka-sensei! Even if she couldn't say so, she was the first to believe in me! I won't let her become a monster! Not like I am! No matter what it takes! Hinata is the one person I will not… I_ can not_ fail!_

And he wouldn't. Even if doing so meant his life. Which might well become the case, as Naruto suddenly felt something behind him. He couldn't see anything chasing him, but was there. A spirit, or some other entity that possessed no body. Or at least, didn't possess one at the moment. Naruto guessed that this was the forest goddess everyone was so worried about. It felt similar to the Fox, making him understand exactly why it made everybody nervous.

To make matters worse, the forest itself had suddenly decided to become Naruto's enemy. From atop the plaza, the Ki'ge, sensing Naruto's approach, took countermeasures. Nearly every technique he could muster the strength for he was using. Naruto dodged and weaved, while keeping up as much forward momentum as he could, while branches from nearby trees suddenly stretched and shot at him in an attempt to run him through.

The bark of the tree he ran on was constantly pulling at Naruto's feet, trying to grab him and pull him into the tree like a wooden quicksand. Leaves shot from all directions to injure him.

Naruto easily managed enough force to extract his feet free of the tree bark trying to snare him. He could expel his Chakra out with such force that the tree leaves either stopped or burned to a crisp due to the unstable force. The spearing branches were nothing to worry about either, he could easily dodge, catch, and rip them apart as necessary.

His charge would not be abated, though. When Naruto reached the platform that made up the top of the Plaza, his eyes locked onto Hinata's, who stood there, Byakugan activated, shocked at the sight before her. The Ki'ge, desperate to stop the boy, used the final technique at his disposal. To the casual observer, it might have seemed as though the trees themselves moved down to create a wall. In actuality, it was an ancient and complex ninjutsu which summoned forth the bark from nearby trees and densely packed around the users to form a nearly impenetrable barrier.

Nearly.

For, without even breaking stride, Naruto clapped his hands together and made the sign necessary to form two Kage Bunshin at his side. He held his hand, palm up, out to them. As they moved, the Bunshin began moving their hands around his own, molding the Chakra Naruto was forming there into a coherent ball shape and maintaining it. As Naruto reached the wooden barrier before him, the two Bunshin vanished. Naruto slammed his hand into the trees before him with as much force as he could. The _Rasengan_ spiraling in that palm ripped through the bark wall blocking his way with such ease that Naruto might well have been breaking through paper.

The wall down, nothing stood between himself and Hinata. She watched, awestruck, as Naruto charged at her. Naruto remembered briefly that the ritual required Hinata to remain in one place. That meant that where she was standing right now was probably that one place. Which, in turn, meant that the ceremony would fail if Hinata was moved. But, if it failed the whole forested valley they were in could be destroyed, and Hinata with it.

There was only one thing Naruto could think to do. And he had no qualms about doing it.

He tackled Hinata out of her place and took it for himself.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata exclaimed as she hit the ground.

"Hinata. Run, now." Naruto said.

Naruto let out a loud scream of pain as the other monstrous Chakra reached him. Starting from his feet, it swarmed through his body. Just as the Ley Lines did with her approach, the massive power made Naruto's own inner Chakra networks shine bright white, making them visible to the naked eye. Every nerve ending in his body screamed out in pain every bit as much as Naruto himself did.

But he didn't care. With a grin on his face, he fell onto his back, and awaited whatever would come next.


	23. The Face of the Goddess

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

All around the forest valley it was felt. The monumental power of the Goddess of the Forest, the _Mori no Megami_, as it found its new host. The Shinobi of Konoha were dismayed. They had failed. They were also resigned. This likely meant they were done for. The Nimmori were ecstatic, cheers sounded from all over the forest as those who were still battling the Konoha-nin as well as the hiding noncombatants cried out.

Emotions became powerful, for all knew that the goddess had been reborn at last.

----------

Only she hadn't.

Not in the way everyone believed it was to happen, at least. Hyuga Hinata watched as Naruto fell onto his back, unconscious. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. What he had just done. She had been prepared to accept the Goddess into her body when Naruto charged, her Byakugan showing him bathed in a monstrous red Chakra she had never felt the likes of before, save for the second white Chakra right behind him, traveling along the Ley Line network within the Plaza.

She had frozen in that instant. Unable to fully understand just what was happening. Torn between her frantic desire to move and her desire to stand her ground and see this ceremony to its end. Now, however, her mind was racked with questions.

What was Naruto! What was that thing chasing after him! What had she just been about to allow into her body! What had Naruto just taken in her place!

"Naruto-kun!" she exclaimed as he hit the ground. She ran to him and dropped to her knees before him. She scanned his body with the Byakugan and was even more startled.

With himself and the Goddess in one body, she anticipated seeing two Chakras within Naruto. She saw them, one a bright blue, the other a luminous white. However, along with those two there was a third. A dark red power. The Chakra that had allowed Naruto to plow through the Ki'ge's final defenses and reach her.

"What is happening?" said a tired voice.

Hinata turned to the Ki'ge and answered him in the Nimmori tongue.

"N-N-Naruto-kun… he… he took the Goddess into himself!"

"What!" the old man cried out. Hinata could not remember seeing him so tired and weak before. His age was catching up to him. The use of so many powerful techniques, not the least of which was the summoning of the Goddess in the first place, had taken their toll. Hinata didn't believe he could be standing.

"What is happening within the boy?" he asked.

"I don't understand why… but, he possesses three Life's Flames."

"Three!"

"Yes…" Hinata said. She watched for a moment longer before letting out a gasp.

"Th-the white Flame… it's trying to… it's"

"Consuming the boy's?" the Ki'ge asked.

"Yes!" Hinata exclaimed, "How did… you… know…"

Hinata suddenly looked at the old man in a whole new light.

_He knew! He _knew_ that would happen! He was going to let… to let me…_

"You really were going to sacrifice me!" she said, remembering Naruto's words earlier.

"I was." the Ki'ge said with a cough, not bothering to deny it.

"H-How could you! I-I thought…"

"You thought right." the Ki'ge answered, his breathing heavy with exhaustion "My sole dream… it was to bring forth… our Goddess. To see with my own eyes… the one who would restore our clan to glory…"

"But… But you were going to let me…"

"You deserved the honor! You were ideal for the task in so many ways beyond your simple possession of the Blessed Line's eyes. You were strong… intelligent… and, most importantly, loyal…"

"Loyal…?"

"I knew" the Ki'ge said before a cough interrupted him, "When I Purified you, I saw into your heart. I saw a girl who would do anything for those who acknowledged her. Whose loyalty would know no bounds, once it was sworn. That was why, even after your Purification was defeated, you _still_ wished to serve us."

"But, if I had known-"

"Would it have mattered?"

"Of course it would have!" Hinata yelled, struck at the question. How could he be serious! If she'd known that she would have died from the start she would never have… would never…

Hinata let out another gasp.

"What is it, child?" the Ki'ge asked.

"The third Flame… the red one…"

"What? What is it doing?"

"Attacking!"

----------

_She stood in a tunnel, almost like a sewer's, if she was aware of such a thing. They hadn't existed in her past before. Regardless, she was there. She knew she was not in the proper vessel. The one her followers had chosen for her. It was a disappointment, but it was not the end. There were ways to correct the problem. _

For now, though, she needed to feast. The process of entering a physical body was taxing for her. She needed to consume something to regain her strength. Or rather, consume someone. The true owner of this body. His soul would make a fine meal. She could feel his immense power. She felt something else as well, something even greater in power. But at the moment it was sealed away. It was not a threat. She could deal with the other energy source after she was finished with the child. The Goddess of the Forest began exploring the tunnel, seeking her sustenance.

----------

_Naruto traveled through the odd tunnels as well. He remembered this place. He had visited it once before, in the moments before he had summoned the Frog Boss, Gamabunta, for the first time. He didn't totally understand how it worked, but this place was inside him. His mind or something. _

He knew that somewhere around here was that goddess that got into him. As well as the Kyuubi_. The damned Fox was locked away deep in this place as well. He had a feeling as to how to deal with this new development. Though it involved finding both the fox and the other monster. He could almost feel the way to reach the fox. That left the other one. _

He traversed the tunnels for what felt like an eternity before he turned a corner and saw it. The thing that had nearly killed Hinata. The thing now positioned to take his life instead.

He had been told the creature was a demon. Naruto had little trouble believing it. She was human in appearance for the most part. However, her skin and hair were completely white, her arms and fingers both much longer and more slender than a normal woman's. Her pointed ears stood straight up on the top of her head. She was clothed in a simple black gown.

He had little time to think about it before she caught sight of him.

"There you are, boy." she said, her smile revealing a nasty set of fangs. She wasted no time, she got onto all fours and began chasing after Naruto. Moving at a speed Naruto could barely fathom. Naruto did the only thing he could, he ran.

He raced through the tunnels. Though he didn't know his way at all, he somehow felt he was going in the right direction. That was, until he hit the dead end. The demon woman stopped as well and smirked. She had him cornered, and she knew it. Naruto, however, was never the type to cower in fear when trapped like he was. He was a scrapper, a fighter. His instincts screamed at him to fight back, so he did.

Naruto charged the goddess with all that he had. But she sidestepped him easily. She grabbed Naruto's arms and held them behind his back.

"Silly boy." she growled, "Fighting here isn't the same as fighting the physical world. I'm far more adept at this environment than you. Now, be still while I devour you."

"Let… Go…" Naruto said as he squirmed in the creature's grasp.

"You'll make a fine meal." she said, "This body will be mine as soon as you are gone. And the immense Chakra within you will strengthen me like little else can."

"You're wrong!" Naruto said, "Getting rid of me won't let you take my body! You forgot something very important!"

"Oh, what's that!"

"My tenant!" with that Naruto forced his head backwards, the back of it colliding with her chin. She stepped back slightly and bumped into the wall behind her. Only then did she realize it was not a wall, but a doorway. Only then did she sense what was hidden behind that gate. Only then, did the Mori no Megami_ realize that she was doomed. _

Behind her was a barred gate. Locked by what appeared nothing more than a large paper with a seal written upon it. Behind it was a power far greater than the Goddesses own. The power of a Youma_ was hidden there. One of the nine Tail Beasts. The worst of them all. _

Before she could move away a large paw squeezed itself past the bars and grabbed hold of her.

"Heh." chuckled a cruel voice behind the gate, "You know, boy, I'd much rather eat you_! But this will suffice for now!" _

The Goddess of the Forest never had a chance. The paw pulled her into the tunnel that caged its owner. Thanks to the pure darkness within, she never saw the beast that devoured her.


	24. Savior

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

Hinata kneeled beside Naruto, unable to fully fathom what she had just witnessed. In the Chakra coil network of Naruto's body existed not one, not two, but three Chakras. One, which Hinata's Byakugan showed her as a bright white, was almost certainly the Goddess. The second, a deep blue, Hinata believed was Naruto's. What owned the third chakra, a chilling blood red, Hinata had no idea. All she knew is it had somehow turned the whole situation around.

The white chakra traveled the veins of Naruto's coils seeking out the bright blue flame in the center. Just as it had the blue fire surrounded though, the red chakra, which seemed to have its own separate network within Naruto, began to move. It managed to seep into Naruto's blue coils and attacked the goddess's chakra. Hinata could only watch, numb with shock, as the red chakra did to the white, what it had planned to do with Naruto's blue. The red chakra consumed it utterly.

"What! What did the red Flame do!" the Ki'ge asked, reading the surprise on Hianta's face.

"I'm sorry." Hinata said in the Nimmori language, "Your Goddess is gone."

"What! Impossible! You lie!"

"I don't. The red Flame… it devoured the white, the Goddess'."

The Ki'ge fell to his knees. He didn't want to believe it. But he knew Kashghyu N'ga was not lying.

"All our work…" he breathed as tears began to flow from his eyes, "All the sacrifices made just for this day. All of it for nothing…"

The shock of it all was too much for the Ki'ge. He began to clutch his chest, his breathing became erratic.

"Ki'ge!" Hinata cried. She was about to move to his side but he held up a hand to stay her. A hand that fell to the ground limp a moment later with the rest of his body. He smiled.

"Even with what you perceive as our betrayal… you are still… concerned."

"Ki'ge…"

"I told you… all I wished… was to live… long enough to see the Goddess come to this world…"

The old man let our several hacking coughs. Hinata thought she saw blood spurt from his mouth.

"The strain of summoning her here… keeping the shee'nobie back… it's too much for this old body… it is just as well… I have nothing left now. The Goddess… my Goddess… is no more."

The Ki'ge, the man who would have been, in other circumstances, the Wood Shadow closed his eyes and exhaled one last breath before his body completely ceased to move. Hinata didn't want to shed any tears. Not for the man who had fully intended to kill her for his goal. But she couldn't help herself. He had been as a grandfather to her as Kashghyu N'ga. As encouraging and supportive as Da Iri'ga. It was that moment she understood something very important about herself.

_"Would it have mattered?"_ he had asked, when Hinata had been about to tell him she never would have cooperated had she known.

"No…" Hinata admitted aloud, a tear falling down her cheek, "It wouldn't have."

Was she so pathetic, so desperate for simple acknowledgment that she would knowingly and willfully throw her life away? Turn against those she cared for the most?

She was. The realization that she would do that; as well as the sight of Naruto sprawled on the tree before her, because he accepted the fate meant for her, made her realize just how low she had sunk.

Her thoughts were interrupted, though, when Naruto's innermost chakra coils began glowing a bright, blood red.

----------

_An amazing rush of wind knocked Naruto off his feet. He found himself sitting waist-deep in the tunnel's water, listening to horrifying sound. A sound that frightened him more than most anything else could._

_The_ Kyuubi _was laughing._

_"I take it back!" it laughed, "This meal more than suffices!"_

_Naruto didn't realize it, but the_ Kyuubi _had been given an incredible rush by its meal of forest goddess. A rush that created a brief raise in its already formidable power. A boost that was enough to allow it to potentially break free of its seal._

_To do to Naruto what the_ Mori no Megami_ had attempted. What the _Kyuubi _had done to her._

----------

Hinata could only watch as Naruto's body suddenly became a series of lines of flowing red. His body began twisting and turning. Contorting as the Chakra forced its way into Naruto's chakra network from its own. Hinata also saw changes on Naruto's face, not the least of which were the little whisker lines on his face seemed to become thicker.

She had no idea what was happening. She could only assume that the red Chakra was now attempting to take Naruto's body like the Goddess had. Hinata got to her feet and stepped away, more than a little frightened of the sight before her. The red Chakra was taking over at a rapid pace. If something wasn't done soon, Naruto's blue chakra would be overwhelmed. Hinata wasn't sure what to do.

No, that wasn't true. Hinata knew exactly what to do. The only question was could she do it?

_It doesn't matter! _Hinata decided, _If I do nothing, Naruto-kun will…_

That was what decided her. Naruto had been her inspiration, her idol for so long. She would not just stand idly by and let him die. Not if there was anything she could do. And there was.

Just as with the Kaiten, Hinata had been training in another technique exclusive to members of the Hyuga main family. One of the clan's most powerful techniques. To date, she had only had marginal success with stationary practice dummies. Now she had to perform it perfectly, with Naruto twisting about randomly. She had no idea if she'd actually succeed. But she had to try.

_No… not try! Do!_

Hinata positioned herself accordingly. Feet spread out, arms as well. One stretched out behind her. The other out in front. Her hands closed, followed by the extension of her index and middle fingers. She focused her already activated Byakugan as much on Naruto as possible. She began to use the only technique she knew of that could stop what was happening.

"Ju-Ni, ninpo" she whispered nervously, "H-Hakke Rokujuuyon-sho."

Gentle Ninja Art, the Eight Divinations' Sixty-Four Hands. Hinata stood over Naruto, and began hammering her fingers into his body.

"Ni-sho!" Two hits. She followed with four more rapid strikes.

"Yon-sho!" Her pace picked up.

"Hachi-sho!" she cried as she struck eight times in a single moment.

"Juuroku-sho!" Naruto had stopped twisting in the run of this attack, which only made things easier for Hinata.

"Sanjuuni-sho!" This was it. The final part.

"Rokujuuyon-sho!"

In only a few seconds, Hinata had landed sixty-four hits to Naruto's body. The effort done, Hinata collapsed to her knees, her eyes never leaving Naruto's body. She watched as the red chakra dissipate as suddenly as it had begun to flare up. Naruto's face returned to normal. His whiskers were now just lines on his face. The Blue chakra that was Naruto began to gradually flow in its rightful place once more. She watched his chest rise and fall, he was breathing normally.

"I… I did it…" Hinata said.

She'd done it. She'd actually done it. Were she the type to do so, she would have leapt into the air and let out a cheer. Even if she were the type, though, she couldn't have. This whole encounter had left her drained. All the strain and injury from her fighting with Naruto, experiencing the rush of her old memories along with those of her time as She of the Ghostly Eyes, the revelation that she would have died if not for Naruto. It all left her physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted.

So instead of jumping for joy, Hinata found herself falling forward, right on top of Naruto, her Byakugan deactivating itself as she did so. Having been kneeling at her side, her head now found itself resting on his chest. Her face looking in the direction of Naruto's. She worried for a moment if she'd hurt him, but she did not feel any difference in his breathing. With her head where it was, she could hear his heart beating normally. Though even if that weren't the case, there wasn't much she could do about it.

_Naruto-kun… _she thought to herself, _I'm sorry, but I can't even move my head right now… You've had to help bear my burdens up until now. I hope, you don't mind doing so… just one more time._

With that, exhaustion won out. Hyuga Hinata's eyes closed and sleep took her.


	25. Understanding

**_NARUTO  
GHOSTLY EYES_**  
By  
Sgamer82

For the first time in weeks, Hyuga Hinata slept a dreamless sleep. When her body and mind were fully rested, she slowly awoke. Her eyes opened and her vision slowly accustomed itself to her surroundings. She saw the ceiling of what appeared to be a primitive hut. With a sudden jolt of awareness she shot straight up. She recognized her surroundings immediately.

She was in a Nimmori hut. That much she was certain of. However, she was not wearing Nimmori clothing. She was wrapped in a kimono a bit too big for her. It looked very much in the style of those worn by the Hyuga. Hinata realized it must belong to one of the Hyuga who came to the forest.

"Hinata?" said a voice. With a start Hinata looked to the source.

"K-Kurenai-sensei!"

Yuhi Kurenai sat in the room, leaning back on a wall. Her arm was in a split but she seemed otherwise uninjured. Hinata thought otherwise, though, when the older woman winced slightly as she moved herself closer to her student. Elsewhere in the room sat Da Iri'ga. His arm was also bandaged, as was his stomach. He also seemed to have difficulty moving. Hinata had difficulty looking him in the eye.

"How are you feeling, Hinata?" she asked.

"I-I'm fine, sensei." Hinata answered. "Sensei, where are we? It looks like we're still in the Nimmori village."

"We are." Kurenai said.

"Where is everyone?"

"Scattered around the village. We're being kept apart so we are unable to collaborate."

"A-are we prisoners?"

"Kind of." Kurenai answered.

Da Iri'ga eyed Kurenai carefully but said nothing as she went on to explain the situation. They were being detained, but they weren't exactly prisoners. Kurenai and Da Iri'ga had remained close to Hinata, both fearing the others potential influence when Hinata finally awoke. The others were kept at different parts of the village. This, Kurenai suspected, was to make sure escape would be more difficult, if not impossible. So for the time being they were cooperating.

Kurenai further explained that, after their own fight, they had made their way up to the Plaza. By the time they had arrived, everything had already settled down. Hinata had been found lying on top of Naruto. Next to them the body of a man Hinata knew to be the Ki'ge.

Unsure of what to make of these events, the two enemies had managed to communicate each other enough to form an uneasy truce. The fact that neither was in fighting condition helped push that idea along. When others began to show, Da Iri'ga had communicated the cease-fire to the Nimmori while Kurenai filled in her students and the Hyuga.

Hours later, Naruto was the first to awaken. He explained the majority of what happened to Kurenai and company. Unfortunately, Naruto didn't speak the Nimmori's language so they had no way of explaining to them what happened.

"I was tempted then to just take you and run." Kurenai said confidentially, "However, this is our best chance to come to a mutual, and peaceful, understanding."

Hinata understood that well enough. Konoha already had the _Oto-nin_, the ninja of Sound, to worry about. A second enemy was not needed if it could be avoided. She also understood the only way a peaceful resolution right now was possible.

"Hinata-" Kurenai began before Hinata cut her off.

"I can still speak the Nimmori language." she said, "Part of the Purification was the implanting of the language into my mind. Otherwise I never would have had the mastery of it I had as Kashghyu N'ga."

"You spoke it more fluently than your own tongue." Kurenai observed, "but… had?"

"I can't recall every single thing, now that the purification is broken. However, what I do remember will suffice."

Kurenai nodded approval. She also noticed a slight change in Hinata's demeanor. But now wasn't the time. She moved back and allowed Hinata to see Da Iri'ga. The man had apparently taken charge in the wake of their old leader's death. She had no idea what the two said to one another. Nonetheless, Kurenai listened intently as they spoke. Kurenai had given no direction one way or the other, so she suspected Hinata was leaving nothing out. Telling Da Iri'ga the full story, start to finish, to the best of her ability.

----------

"Then our Goddess is forever gone."

"……yes." Hinata answered reluctantly. Da Iri'ga let out a heavy sigh.

"This will be difficult to tell the others. However, I think this might be for the best."

"Huh?" Hinata asked in surprise.

"When the Goddess made her way up to the Plaza… I felt it… a terrible power. Left me chilled to the bone. The only other thing that did that, was the second flame within the _Shee'nobie_ boy you fancied."

Hinata blushed a bit at that statement. Kurenai raised an eyebrow while Da Iri'ga simply smiled at the reaction before growing serious again.

"If our Goddess was such as what was inside that boy, I fear what the Nimmori would have done in her name. However, there is one thing I must ask, Kashghyu N'ga…"

"Hinata." she corrected.

"You will always be Kashghyu N'ga to me." Da Iri'ga said affectionately, "Just what was that other Flame?"

"I… I don't know." Hinata answered honestly. Kurenai, when asked, simply said that it was a matter of strict secrecy. Every person who did not already know the truth was forbidden to know. That included Hinata. Da Iri'ga gave no reaction to this information. He simply took his leave of the two young women. Hinata explained he had to break the news to the Nimmori.

"So what now?" Hinata asked.

"That depends." Kurenai said, "If the Nimmori take all this as badly as I fear, then we'll have to fight our way out. As for the others, we can only hope they handle their own escapes. However, with that man in charge I think we can count on something less violent. Which means we'll need you to serve as a translator long enough to get a temporary arrangement made. Something to last until Hokage-sama can officially send someone to negotiate."

----------

Kurenai's prediction had been accurate. Da Iri'ga was able to keep the Nimmori from reacting violently, despite how angry they were over the events. Many were unhappy about the turn, prepared to execute the Shinobi, including their Kashghyu N'ga, on the spot. Fortunately, they heeded Da Iri'ga's warnings about possibly starting a war with the tribe whose warriors had stopped their Goddess. All agreed that, for now, peace was preferable.

Hyuga Riisen, with Hinata as translator, worked out the majority of the details. Though Da Iri'ga would have preferred speaking with Kurenai, leader of the group and one whom he considered an equal, Kurenai had deferred to the Hyuga because he had served in Konoha's diplomatic corps and was better suited to such negotiations.

In a matter of days, a temporary accord had been worked out. All nine of the Konoha-nin would return to their village. Upon returning, Hinata would be tasked with teaching the Nimmori language to diplomats who would then come to the Nimmori village for a more permanent arrangement. In the meantime, Da Iri'ga would have the Nimmori refrain from attacking any villages in the area for any reason; though mutually beneficial trade would be perfectly fine.

What the official diplomats would do was up in the air. The main goals would be to make sure the Nimmori would not be enemies of Konoha or the Fire Country as a whole. If possible, they might even make them allies. Hinata feared that a condition placed on the Nimmori would be the return of those who were in the past Purified like she herself.

With study, it was likely scholars in Konoha could figure out how to safely break the hold of Purification. However, Hinata could remember clearly the utter confusion she had experienced when Naruto had broken her hold. She had only been Nimmori for about a week. She feared the mental and emotional damage possible in someone who had been of the tribe for nearly a decade and a half.

Riisen had assured her that she would be able to make such recommendations later. She would have a major role to play in making peace with the People of the Forest. Hinata was relieved she'd have a say in things. But also a little frightened of the responsibility that would inevitably be placed on her.

----------

The troop of ninja who left the Nimmori village kept silent as they walked. Partly it was caution. Not everybody was convinced that the Nimmori were friendly now. They feared possible traps or ambushes. Most notably, Shino, Kiba, and the Hyuga siblings, Tomoko and Uaishi, kept very careful watch. Kurenai and Riisen, having dealt with Da Iri'ga personally, felt relatively more assured. As did Hinata, despite all that had happened, didn't believe the man who had seen her as a daughter was a duplicitous man. Naruto was as carefree as ever.

Naruto… Hinata thought to herself. The two had not spoken even once since their battle on the Plaza. Part of it was simply Hinata being busy with negotiations. But even so, she had managed to make time for everyone. Kiba, Akamaru, Shino, her kin, to assure her she was all right. Everyone had visited her at least once.

Except Naruto.

The possible reasons why he would avoid her were, to her, numerous. She had nearly gotten him killed several times. Her choosing the Nimmori in that moment on the plaza, after all the work he'd done… he probably saw that as a betrayal. She hated the idea that the boy she admired most wanted nothing to do with her. It was one thing when he was ignorant of her presence. But the possibility that he would deliberately stay away from her tore her up inside.

However, those same events, those same betrayals, made Hinata feel just a bit bolder. She didn't want to let those feelings dominate her, make her cower in fear. She wanted to at least talk to him once more. If he said he wanted nothing to do with her… then so be it.

After taking a deep breath to ready herself, Hinata walked ahead to near the front of the line of Shinobi, where Naruto was proclaiming himself leader of the expedition home.

"N-Naruto-kun…" she muttered out.

"Hm?" Naruto turned to see who was speaking to him, "Oh… Hinata…"

No cheerful greeting… not a good sign.

"Naruto-kun… I just wanted to say-"

"I'm sorry." Naruto said, cutting her off.

"You're sorry? For what?"

"I haven't been to see you at all…" Naruto said, "I'm sorry. I… I just couldn't face you."

"Oh." Hinata replied, "I… I understand. I suppose I can't blame you. Considering what I did…"

"What you did? That's got nothing to do with it." Naruto said quickly, "I couldn't face you… because… because…"

That's when Hinata noticed. Naruto's left hand was clutching his stomach. Hinata understood at once.

"Your other Chakra…" she finished for him.

"Yeah… no doubt you know all about it by now…" he said, his voice expressing something Hinata couldn't identify. Doubt, sadness, shame?

"Actually, Kurenai-sensei wouldn't tell me anything. Da Iri'ga even asked what it was, but she refused to answer."

"Then you don't know?" Naruto asked.

"No. And I don't care to, either."

"Oh…" Naruto said, his head hanging down.

"It's not important, anyway." she said. Naruto's head shot up.

"What did you…"

"That other Chakra… I don't know what it is. All I know is that it's part of you, and probably has been for a long time."

"All my life." Naruto replied sadly.

"That Chakra is a part of you. And that part of you helped save me from making a horrible mistake. _That _is all I care about."

"Hinata…"

With that Hinata turned herself away, she could feel herself blushing and didn't want Naruto to see.

"Which re-reminds me…" Hinata stuttered, "I haven't thanked you properly for saving me. Thank you."

"Oh! Uh…" Naruto said, red tinting his own cheeks now, "Yeah… and… thank you, too, Hinata!"

"Huh? But what did I-"

"Your sixty-four handy thing." Naruto explained, "You used it to save my life, right?"

"Yes… but I shouldn't be thanked for that." Hinata stammered, "It was because of me your life was in danger in the first place!"

"Not completely you." Naruto said.

"No, it was me. All me! You wouldn't have had to do what you did if I hadn't… if I hadn't…"

Naruto understood exactly what she was referring to.

"Hinata, it's okay. I'm not mad about that at all."

"What!" Hinata asked in shock, "How can you _not _be! I nearly got you killed! I nearly killed you myself! Several times! I… I… I threw you off a giant tree!"

"I know."

"Then how can you not be even the least bit upset?"

"How can I be?" Naruto asked, "Hinata… if it had been me in that position instead of you… I… well…"

"Naruto-kun?"

"I would have done exactly the same thing as you!"

Hinata was shocked silent.

"I know how hard it is. Not being acknowledged, but wanting it so badly that you'll do anything for it. When you finally do get it, you'll do anything you can for whoever gives it to you! No matter what you have to do or who else gets hurt! How can I be angry at you when I'm no different."

"It wouldn't have mattered…" Hinata whispered.

"Huh?" Naruto asked.

"There's one thing I haven't told anybody else, Naruto-kun." she said, keeping her voice low, "Something that happened on the Plaza, after the Goddess took you. The Ki'ge, just before dying, revealed that the Goddess devouring my soul was what was to happen to me. I felt outraged when I learned that. I tried to tell him that I never would have done it had I known… but before I could finish, he asked me if it really would have mattered. I wished so desperately I could say it would… but… I know myself better than that."

"Hinata…"

"I really would have gone through with the ceremony. Even if I had known from the start, as Kashghyu N'ga, that doing so meant my death. Even if I knew the truth, at that moment on the Plaza, I still would have thrown you off of it. All because I simply didn't want to be myself anymore.

"I tried to change, Naruto-kun. I have never had a high opinion of myself. I wanted to change that fact. I wanted to feel stronger. After I faced Neji-niisan in the Chuunin exam, I thought I had done that. I felt different about myself. But… nobody else seemed to see the difference.

"I tried telling myself that it didn't matter what they thought. That I knew I was different and that was all that counted. But as more time went by, I began to doubt. I asked myself if I really changed at all. Was I still the same person I didn't wish to be?

"Eventually, Kurenai-sensei and my teammates noticed and tried to be there for me. But, by then, I see now that my confidence was so destroyed that I didn't hear words or see gestures meant to encourage me. I heard only attempts to coddle and comfort a weak child."

"But Hinata!" Naruto said, "None of that's true! You're not weak yo-"

"I understand that now." she interrupted, "My time as Kashghyu N'ga showed me a lot. I understand myself a lot better than I ever have. I have seen myself at both my best and my worst. I realized that I am strong. That I can be brave and confident. I also came to understand just how powerful my desire for acceptance was. In the end, it was because of that everything happened as it did.

"I could have fought their control, the Purification. I even tried, at the beginning. But then, Da Iri'ga and the Ki'ge, they showed me new ways of fighting. They promised me strength I could not imagine. Whenever I fell, they held out their hands to help me up. On the Plaza, when that control broke, I couldn't stand the thought of losing that. My weakness, my overwhelming desires… they got the better of me.

"But… that will never happen again! I know now that, even if I didn't change before, I have now! Because of my experience as one of the Forest, I've seen both my true strength and my greatest weakness. Never again will I let that weakness overpower me. Now more than ever, I feel that even if nobody ever acknowledges me, I can go on anyway."

"Well, that won't be a problem!" Naruto said, "You got someone right here for that!"

Hinata couldn't believe what she'd just heard. She thought for a split second that he wasn't being sincere. Just saying that for her sake. But she reminded herself of the promise she'd just made, and remembered Naruto's was not the type to be insincere.

"T-Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata replied.

Naruto answered with a big grin. Hinata herself couldn't help but smile back, a blush covering her cheeks for a moment as she did. The two walked side-by-side in silence. Several minutes went by before Kiba's voice broke it.

"What! That's _it_!"

Both Hinata and Naruto were a little surprised at Kiba's sudden outburst.

"Geez, you two, you had a real thing goin' there!" he teased, "Why are you stopping now! Are you gonna chicken out, Naruto!"

"What did you say, Toilet-Drinker!" Naruto yelled angrily.

A sudden voice interrupted the argument before it could progress into something more violent. It left Kiba dumbstruck for a moment before he began laughing himself silly. Naruto did as well, when he got what he had just heard. Even Shino and Kurenai had difficulty keeping a straight face. Though the Hyuga didn't seem to get the joke until it was explained.

With four little words, Hinata made sure the rest of the journey back home passed in high spirits.

"Shut up, Kiba-kun." she had said, with a wry smile.

**_THE END_**

* * *

**FINAL AUTHOR'S NOTES  
**I hope you all enjoyed _Ghostly Eyes_ (hiatus(es) aside). I enjoyed writing it and, if it's worth anything, at twenty five chapters and nearly or over 40,000 words, this is easily my longest fanfiction to date. I'm actually kinda proud about that. Now, here are some notes concerning the final seven chapters.

**CHAPTERS 19 & 20:**The Naruto/Hinata fight was something I was looking forward to from the moment I first started writing _Ghostly Eyes_. Some of it I had planned at the start (such as Naruto fighting in Hinata's form) other details I figured out as the story progressed and even as I wrote the scenes themselves (such as Hianta's using the Konoha no Shuriken to expose the real Naruto). I originally had the idea of Naruto shocking Hinata back to reality with a _Harem-no-Jutsu_ - Hinata Version. But I decided against it as it didn't seem to fit what I wanted to happen next.

Also, once again, credit for the "Leap of the Grasshopper" techinque belongs to my friend toujin (though the Japanese name, _Batta no Choyaku_, I found via my English/Japanese dictionary)

**CHAPTER 21 & 22**: The conclusion to the Kurenai vs. Da Iri'ga battle was somethign I had some trouble with too. I wanted to end the fight in a good way but I couldn't think of anything really original for it. In the end, I decided I liked the idea fo Kurenai learning from her past defeat by Itachi and countering the same illusion that got countered back on her when they fought. From there developed the idea that Kurenai was using past experience to win.

For Hinata and Naruto, I had a second idea on just what motivated Hinata's actions. I thought maybe it could be a more heroic action. Agreeing to become the Goddess because the ceremony had hit a point of no return, meaning she couldn't NOT do it without a lot of destruciton. But I like the way I went with instead, as it helps to drive home some more powerful lessons to Hinata (I felt it was more dramatic that she come to reach both her highest and lowest points at aboutthe same time).

**CHAPTER 23:** With recent events in the _Naruto_ storyline, I breifly considered making the _Mori no Megami_ another of the Nine Bijuu (Tail Beasts). I was thinking of making it the Gobi (Five-Tails) a canine Youma that was supposed to live within a tree. Then I tought of making it a servant of the Gobi that got ambitious. But instead I gave the Goddess of the Forest her own unique design, making her essentially a lesser demon (when compared to Kyubi)in the process.

As for the _Mori no Megami_'s ultimate fate, as much as I'd like I can't claim full credit for the idea. I mostly got it from an episode of _Buffy the Vampire Slayer's_ second season titled "The Dark Age." In it, the heroes fought a demon that jumped into others bodies and defeated it by having it jump into the body of Angel, a vampire whose demon side was suppressed by the restoration of his human soul. Though we didn't get the "inside story" as I did with Naruto, _Kyuubi_, and _Megami_, the end result was the same (sealed off demon killing another). Still, credit where its due. The original idea came from _Buffy_, though I did my best to make sure I put my own spin/take on how it all went about.

**CHAPTER 24: **Here, I debated about whether or not to have Hinata use the _Rokujuuyon-sho_. On the one hand, it provided a good moment of truth and redemption for Hinata. A chance to make up for her turning on Naruto. I had also had it inmind from the beginning that I wanted their finalbit here to besomething of a mutual butt-saving.Naruto saved Hinata who, in turn, saved him. On the other hand, it felt just a bit out of place for the moment and perhaps just a bit cliche. I decided to go with my initial instinct and kept the scene as originally planned.

**CHAPTER 25:** This chapter went way longer than I'd originally planned. But it was worth it. You all probably already know, but Hinata's last remark is in reference to the story Kiba told Naruto in Chapter 8. I wanted to go out on a joke of some kind, to show things were more or less hunky-dory again. Originally, when I was thinking of using the Hinata Harem no Jutsu, I had Naruto being chased down by Shino and Kiba after they found out what he'd done.

**RE: Dragon Man 180's review:** Actually, I hada whole seperate story idea or two that would put some focus on our new Hinata. The idea focused on Hinata having tosingle-handedly rescue Hanabi when she's kidnapped. Another focusing on Hinata's attempt to reform the Hyuga clan.


End file.
